Deceitful Time
by Desenchanter
Summary: Time doesn't heal all wounds, particularly not for him. Instead it ate away at him to drown him in a life of decadence. Until she came back, the faded face from his past. It's her turn to be torn between two—the him of future or past.
1. Prolgue

_**Revised 01/09/10**_

**{ : ****D**_eceitful_ **T**_ime_ **: }**

**{|: _Prologue_ : |}**

{...}**  
**

**I**_mmortality_ is something that no mortal can fully grasp. It can be explained a thousand times in a thousand different ways yet escapes their appreciation. They'd think they get it, weak humans, they think they can relate but they never can. A hundred years, at _most_ is all a human has to look forward to. Few even make it that far. They measure time by the passing of days instead of that of generations.

Two hundred years after he made his choice he had completely forgone social attachments. In the end all they led to was pain. No mortal could live as long as he did and all demons faded into nothingness. Except him. He lived, for her, always for her. But did it even matter? She was a fading image in the back of his mind. Her smell could not longer be recalled or the warmth he felt when he held her in his arms—did he even really ever do such a thing? Or was that a figment of his fleeting mind's imagination?

Did he ever feel his lips against hers?

What did she look like? Ebony waves, hazel eyes, fair skin, but… those were simply descriptions that he had made himself memorize. Countless women held the same features. He never meant for her to turn into something as vague as a dream.

Did she ever exist?

No longer could he remember what was truth or fiction after three hundred years. There were other woman to keep his mind off of that one, but he didn't mean for that to happen, either. Their faces merged with the blur that he barely held onto. The foggy image of the beauty that his soul beckoned for him to recall, to seek out, to find… to have but…

Did she want him to find her?

Ebony waves, hazel eyes, fair skin… what else? Kagome. Kagome, Kagome, Ka-go-me, that was her name. He still remembered that but he wished he had listened when she told him her last name. With the passing of time humans took on those things, until in the era he first met her, and there were probably too many' Kagome's to find. What was the name of the place she lived in? The foreign land?

Did it exist yet?

It was Japan. She lived in Japan, which was why he never left there often. Five hundred years, he knew that was how long he had to wait so he would go travel around the globe when it became possible but never for that long, well, never for that long to _him_. His time passed completely differently than others. He was the only of his kind left, or so he thought.

Did he want to keep up the search?

Here and there he'd come across youkais but they were doing just what he was, hiding from time, hiding from humans, because they were nothing like they once were. They remembered the golden times together when there were thousands of them across the land until _that_ happened and their numbers were cut again and again and again.

They gave him an odd comfort when he was around his own kind but he never stayed long and they never wanted to, either. They were solitude creatures that didn't dare to wonder in packs, but they did create order amongst themselves.

Four hundred years passed and her name was starting to die away just like her face but he couldn't forget it. Kagome, no matter how generic it was she was why he was enduring it all but _why_? He barely remembered her, he didn't know if what he did recall was real or dreams that his mind had altered into truth. He fixed the problem the only way he could, by tattooing it onto himself. He couldn't forget something that he had on his own body.

That brought questions from his momentary companions, who's Ka-go-me? He didn't know. That was often what he told them and if they knew him even a little bit they'd believe it. Sometimes, when he was in foreign countries, they'd ask what the symbols meant and he'd give a different answer each time 'hope', 'endless time, the lies went on and on.

Five hundred years and the world was nothing like it used to be. Cars spun by, buildings soared up high in the sky, and history had been written. The last hundred years were some of the hardest to get through. Two world wars, it was better when they didn't know about the other countries, he thought. Two wars that he had to endure, never did he fight in them because it was humans' problems. He was lucky, he guessed, since he left Hiroshima a few weeks before the A-bomb dropped. Perhaps that would have been able to kill him, at least it would have disfigured him for a while, but he doubted it.

Nothing could kill him. Believe him; he had tried to let death take him once or twice.

He didn't remember any of the places he had gone to in her world, the woman that he doubted even existed. The woman that no longer lingered on his mind even though her name was tattooed on his arm. The name that began to lose its' meaning. Was it just another drunken mistake he had made? Probably, after all he had made so many.

Tokyo eventually became his home. It was easier to live in a busy city where one persons' endless life wouldn't be noticed.

Inuyasha, the person that never died but a person who lost the meaning of life long ago.


	2. Destined

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter One: **_Destined_

**I**_nuyasha,_ he remembered that much. It was his real name, the name that was given to him by his human mother and demon father. He never knew what his father looked like but he once remembered his mother. He stopped feeling bad about forgetting her a hundred or so years ago.

He didn't really know what was supposed to be beautiful anymore, either, or else he'd think his penthouse on the top floor of his building had a lovely view. The night took over the sky while the lights of the city illuminated it so much that stars couldn't even break through their barrier. He often stared out the window walls that wrapped around his current 'home' but this time a shift in his bed made him turn his head ever so slightly to glance to see the temptress he had brought back that time.

With a few swirls he took a drink of the glass of brandy and returned his dulled amber gaze to the outside world. Sex was something to help pass the time, at first he didn't dare because he was in love with someone—right? That girl, that faded image, but then she started to disappear and he learned how much he enjoyed it. Now it was nothing more than a small means of amusement, like television, music, or the movies used to be. One can only do something so many times before it becomes mundane, no matter what act it is.

Some could bring back the thrill of it and others just allowed him to go through the motions but for the most part he stopped feeling anything. So many things had become like that, no sport kept his entertainment, no object, no person, nothing.

Everything meant _nothing_.

"Shiro," he heard a lull of a voice whisper, "come back to bed, babe."

"Go back to sleep," he countered and heard a rustling of sheets. When he glanced but she had turned around so her back was to him. A sign of displeasure, he was sure, yet honestly couldn't have cared less.

Five hundred years was far too long. What if she had already passed him by? Then it would all be meaningless.

_A Few Hours Ago_

"_Kagome," the woman he shared his bed with him whispered as her fingertips laced around his bland tattooed shoulder, "she must have been important to you, hm?"_

"_I suppose," he grumbled._

"_You suppose?" the woman murmured as she kissed his shoulder, "is it a sore subject?"_

"_No." It was impossible for something to be irritating if he couldn't even remember why it was there. Had he gotten to wasted one night and allowed his body to be disfigured with that name? No. It couldn't be that… why was that name there again?_

_Ebony waves, hazel eyes… Kagome. That's right. He had to think long and hard about it, there was too much that jumbled his mind and clouded his past. She meant something to him. She meant a great deal to him. But why was that again? _

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

"**K**_agome,"_ Eri sighed with a small shake of her head, "I can't believe you… flunked that test."

"Oh my god," the hazel eyed, ebony waved, school girl whined ever so bitterly, "I can't believe I did either!"

"I'm sorry, Kagome," Hojo murmured with a shuffle of his feet, "do you need me to tutor you? I don't mind coming over when you are sick, I'll wear a mask so I don't catch anything. That way you can do better on your exams."

"Translation," Eri nudged Kagome with her shoulders, "if you don't start getting better grades you are _never_ going to get into a college! Not even a community college. And if you flunk our exams in class how are you going to pass a university entrance exam?"

"Don't remind me," Kagome groaned with slouched shoulders and a hung head. If it weren't for the fact she went back and forth between times she'd be a straight 'A' student for sure! She knew it, but stupid fate had to get in the way and now Eri spoke nothing but the truth… how was she going to get into a university? But…

Inuyasha, that brought a smile to her lowered lips no matter what. Inuyasha was waiting irately back in the past for her to return after the week of finals ended. Winter break was coming and she'd be able to stay in feudal era for the entire time, which should make him happy. But was it the fact that their search for the jewel shards and Naraku would not be hindered of that _she_ was there?

She'd like to think it was her…

"I'm sorry!" She sputtered after bumping off of a rather stiff man. It was only a flicker, only a fleeting moment in time, but she glanced up just quick enough to see the oddly familiar face with weirdly recognizable colored eyes. It stopped her in her tracks but not him; he barely gave her a gaze before he looked ahead of himself and began off on the busy sidewalk.

No… that… no. First off, it's not the full moon it's the morning. Secondly, he had short hair and the color of his eyes wasn't right. They weren't a deep chocolate brown like they should be when he was mortal, but it wasn't the blinding gold they usually were when he was his good old irritable self. So… that wasn't him.

"Kagome!" A unison of friends shouted to her, snapping her free from lala-land.

"Oh, sorry! Wait up!" She requested with her hands gripped to her backpack as her feet began to meet the pavement quicker so she, too, faded into the sea of people.

It was the name, the muffled shouts that caught his attention. Kagome, he had met many before but each time he heard that word he had to stop. A flush of feelings just barely took over for just a short time, always too short, always not enough, he almost hadn't noticed.

By the time his more golden than hazel gaze moved back to the girl he didn't give a second thought to he was not able to see her and if he had she didn't stick out. She was probably lost in the flood of similarities.

Oh well, it was probably nothing.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"I totally failed that English exam!" Kagome whaled as she walked along with her friends, "I'm just a failure."

"Yes, you are," Eri muttered only to get an elbow to the side by Hojo.

"Kagome, it'll be OK, the teachers will have to take into consideration that you have been ill all year. It's not your fault your health is so frail," Hojo defended, winning him the smallest of smiles that still made his heart flutter.

"No they don't, you'd think you'd have plenty of time to study since you are always at home, no offence," Eri nagged, "let's go get something to eat, wanna come, Kagome?"

"I don't think I feel up to eating…"

"Are you not feeling well today?" Hojo frowned.

"No, it's just that English exam," she kept up but with a small sigh she let her smile appear. She owed it to her friends to spend some time with them when she was in her _own_ era, after all. Inuyasha wasn't expecting her for another three or so days anyway.

Fast-food, the worst yet best addition to Japan since… who knows, a burger with fries and a soda always made her feel better even if she had just flunked another exam and fallen further from her goal of getting into a good university. Then again… did it matter? What if after high school she just stayed with… her cheeks almost blushed at the thought, would he even want her to stay? He liked her, she knew that, but did he _really, really_ like her? Because she loved him.

Loved.

She knew it, Sango knew it, Miroku knew it, Kaede knew it, hell, Shippou even knew it so why try to deny it to herself? There was no reason. Maybe she should tell him. After all, Kikyou had—regrettably, truly, she had never seen Inuyasha cry before…—passed away.

"Kagome," Eri repeated over and over again until her friend snapped back to reality, "are you thinking about that boyfriend of yours again?"

"Boyfriend?" Hojo picked up right away, "you have a boyfriend?"

"I do not," Kagome complained with her hazels stuck on her half finished burger. She only wished she did…

"You so do," Eri grinned with mixed in giggles, "no need to deny it. I bet he's some badass and that's why you won't introduce us to him. I can just imagine it now, some guy in leather jacket. I bet he has a motorcycle right? Who would have thought, sweet, innocent, Kagome was in to that type!"

"Is that true, Kagome?"

"What? No!" Kagome weakly laughed, "no, not at all. I don't have time for a boyfriend."

She wasn't familiar but fit the description. Ebony waves, hazel eyes, and apparently had the name 'Kagome'. Was it odd for him to just stay where he heard that name all day? Enter the fast-food burger place that was right behind him when he heard the name. Perhaps she'd have to walk by there on her way back from wherever she had gone and if she was _the_ Kagome wouldn't it spark something in him, something like never before?

Was it luck that she returned? Was it even the same girl? Was it just another Kagome?

Did it even really matter?

She was so young, was that right? Should she be? A high school student, what? Sixteen? Seventeen? What if she was younger? Did he really fall for someone so youthful? So immature? Had he fallen for her?

What _did_ Kagome mean? Why did it mean anything?

But it did, that was what motivated him to get up from the seat he had situated himself in all day—you might think that's crazy, that it would bore you to death to sit somewhere all day long with nothing to do but, well… have you ever lived for centuries upon centuries with no hobby? A day of sitting is as simple as breathing after that.

"Excuse me," he began like he almost always did when a Kagome came along, with one hand on the table and another on the back of her seat he leaned in so to break off her eye contact with Hojo, who sat beside her. Not that he cared she was with another man, mind you. It was probably her high school boyfriend, after all.

"Eh?" Her hazels widened as she opened her mouth to say something yet couldn't. It was him.

"Did I hear that your name is Kagome?" it was always after then that he didn't know what to say. 'Do you know me'? He sometimes asked, 'you look familiar, have we met?' was always a good one but this time he'd go with something else… he just hadn't figured that out before she her gawking ceased and her mouth began to function again.

"Yes…" wirily she replied while he eyes migrated over to Eri who she could tell from the almost dropped jaw that she'd very much like the strange to go over and ask her for her name, too. "You look so familiar," Kagome spat out without meaning to but… he did. He looked like her Inuyasha almost too much.

"I do?" He almost awed, that was a first—maybe, probably, he couldn't remember.

"Uh," she dragged out before laughing it off, "I'm sorry, what did you come over here for?"

"Try to be smoother," Eri whispered harshly.

With a swift look to the hushed girl then to the baffled boy he stood up with his hands back in his Dior jacket's pockets, "will you come with me for a moment?"

"Kagome, no," Hojo shook his head, "you don't know this guy."

"Go," Eri mouthed, cheering her on with a clenched fist all the way.

Honestly, Hojo was probably right. Was it ever a good idea to wonder off with strangers? If he was trying to flirt with her that was one thing but he wasn't, he was very... absent almost. Like behind those less hazel than golden spheres there wasn't a whole lot going on, it was eerie, a part of her—the smarter part, she guessed—beseeched her to listen to Hojo, not to go but... He looked like _Inuyasha_, so how wrong could it actually be? So, with that, she got up and followed him out of the restaurant _but_ she did decide to stop short of leaving the view of the windows. Just in case something did happen, Hojo and Eri were bond to be watching ever so carefully from within.

"How can I help you?" She began as she regain her normal smile, he just stared at her almost as if she was nothing more than a plant to examine, label, and then move on. It was strange, yes, but she felt just like that, "um, hello?"

"Kagome," he whispered once his gaze finally stopped at her face. Nothing. Nothing, nothing... why did it not spark anything? Again, was it nothing? Another wrong person? He was certain if he met _the_ Kagome everything would just magically return to him.

"Yes," she nodded as she clasped her hands in front of her lazily, "and you are...?"

"Shiro!" Doubled delighted voices laughed just as two attractive woman grabbed at each of his arms, one had flows of flirty curly coffee hair, the other was dyed, straight, blonde beaut, both pressing their overly large chests against him. Flawless wasn't a word that could be tied to either, make-up and high classed clothes were needed for them but they were trophies to be.

Her hazel eyes widened at the sight, he jerked forward only slightly but didn't seem surprised so... it was reasonable for her to assume it happened, often.

"Who's this?" Blondy inquired with her perfectly manicured finger pointed to Kagome, "she wouldn't be your new interest, right, Shiro?"

"She's a kid," the other giggled, "I bet she's confessing her love to you, huh? I'm sure that happens a lot," and with that she held on tighter to his arm and tilted her head to the side ever so slightly in order to try and win his attention.

It was true, it did occur often but did any of them mean it? How could they? Did he ever really spend that much time with one woman? It wasn't like he dated them. Perhaps he'd take them out to eat every now and then but nothing more. Nothing 'love' worthy. Then again, his money was.

"Scurry along, Shiro needs a _woman_ not a child," blondy bickered with a condescending stare.

"Well, excuse me!" Kagome huffed, "he was the one that asked me out here!"

"Is that true, Shiro?" Blondy frowned, "but she's so young, too young, right? What are you fifteen?"

"Sixteen!" Almost seventeen, but they needn't know that.

"See, Shiro, let's go."

"I suppose," he replied after one last glance over her, she would stand out... right? "Sorry," he muttered as the girls led him passed the obviously fluming female.

"Sorry!?" Kagome scoffed to herself as she turned around—why was she so mad? What did it matter that she just got blown off by a stranger with two hookers on his arm?

That was a stupid question, of course she knew. He looked like Inuyasha, a human one. That mattered. What if... it was silly, but almost brought a strange smile to her face. What if it was his reincarnation? If she was Kikyou's then wouldn't it only make sense that Inuyasha had one in her era, too? Wouldn't it be great to meet him? If only he wasn't an asshole...

**A/N: **So, thank you everyone that reviewed. I really meant to update this sooner but I became too busy. I'll try to update this again soon because this was a rather weak chapter.

**A/N2: **chapter updated for grammar, spelling, and some content


	3. Drunk

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter 2: Drunk **

"**I**_nuyasha_," she muttered to herself as she leaned over the well, she had another two finals or else she'd jump right through it and return to him, to them. They were so close, so very, very, close to completing the jewel, to killing Naraku, to ending it all.

Then what?

A smile lifted her lightly tinted lips; then everyone would be happy. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango would all have their revenge. Miroku would be able to live happily with his betrothed Sango, she'll get Kohaku back—Kagome could just feel it—and Inuyasha could finally find the peace he so desperately deserved.

She felt a little bad about stopping all of them like she constantly did only to go home and take exams, it seemed so mundane when she saw their world. The warring states era they lived in, each day people fought for their lives, each day Miroku's wind tunnel got bigger, Sango's sorrow grew deeper, and Inuyasha's impatience… well, need she say anything about that, really? And here she was essentially wasting time taking on exams…

A sigh escaped her pouted lips as she pushed off the well and exited the small hut to go off to her friend Eri's house. A few of her friends were gathered there to study for their History final they all had tomorrow, ugh. She defiantly needed help there. She always got the written facts about Feudal Era mixed up with the things she saw there.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"No, no, no, no, no!" Kagome protested as a friend dragged her forward by each hand and another, Eri, pushed her along from behind in the crowded Tokyo night streets. "Guys! We need to study! I don't want to go!"

"You are never feeling well so why waste the time studying? We know this club that doesn't check IDs, we can get in," Ayumi laughed, she was the only one not pushing or pulling Kagome but instead walked backwards in front of her with her hands behind her back. "You'll have fun."

"I met my boyfriend there last month," Sachiko winked with a tug on her left wrist, "he's a college student and goes to Tokyo U. Awesome, right?"

"No, guys, I really need to study," Kagome kept up. Studying, securing her future; that was how she justified what she did, that was enough to allow her to swallow her guilt and return home but going out clubbing on a school night? No. That wasn't fair. She just couldn't.

That didn't stop her friends from dragging her into the club, who, conveniently enough, her friend Michiko's boyfriend happen to be the bouncer for, for the night so they didn't need to wait in the line nor did he care that Kagome declared that she didn't want to go at all. He just gave her a smirk, kissed Michiko and wished them a good time.

"Guys!" Kagome shouted again but they had lost Eri to a flirtatious guy by that point and only the other three remained with her, after some constant coercion they got her onto the dance floor. It only took a song of watching her friends laugh, dance, and enjoy themselves… like _normal_ high school students did, like normal people did! Like she should be. She was only a girl; after all, didn't she deserve some fun? Didn't she deserve to act her age in her own era every once and a while? Let's face reality, no amount of studying will get her a B on the history final so why not just let it all go and join in on the jiggling and giggling of her friends?

So that's what she did, even if it might be wrong, it'd just have to be her little secret.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"Shiro!" Blondy boasted with the biggest laugh as she kissed his cheek and her coffee haired friend did the other, "I can't believe you got us in, you are the best!"

"Yeah," he muttered, clubs… loud, awful lightening, and just generally annoying but he often went to them. Why not? It was easy to find someone to entertain himself for a while there always had the best alcohol. Best yet, he got into the VIP area each time. There he could just be the spectator that he was subjected to be throughout eternity. He watched the perverts, flirts, drunks, dancers, and all around idiots move about. Coffee and Blondy got up to dance for him and the other two very highbrow men that got into the same section.

Those two weren't coming home with him again that night, probably. He had his fill of them and if he let them come home with him more than three times then they always got clinging and thought somehow they were special. They weren't. None were.

"Yeah, Kagome!" One of the many, many, shouts proclaimed. Just barely did his superior hearing catch it but it did get him to move his gaze around the dance floor once more to see three girls swaying away at the far right section, one had flowing ebony waves as she rose her arms above her head and swung her hips about just like the rest, he almost looked away just as she spun around to face one of her friends and laugh joyfully as she grabbed her friend's arms once the song stopped.

That face… from earlier… that Kagome. She sparked nothing, though, so… he only stared for a while longer as another song picked up and they all went back to their fluid motions before Coffee chick turned his face to her and her friend, "what's got your attention other than us, Shiro?" she pouted in a way he was very sure could seduce even the best of men but he was unfazed.

Was he even really a man after five hundred years? Wasn't he just a… shadow?

"Kagome," Eri shrieked giddily as she wrapped her arms around her friend's neck, "guess what?"

"What?" She laughed back before her hazel eyes wondered to the guy Eri had honed in from the start of the night, he was fairly good looking but nothing breath taking.

"That guy that did whatever," Eri raised a brow and scoffed some, "lame pick up he was trying to do to you at McyDs before—granted, he's hot—is here! He's in the VIP section over there with those two girls from earlier."

"What?" Kagome awed as she leaned forward out of the bumping bodies to see him, staring shamelessly from at the swaying sex subjects before him, "eh, perv."

"Yeah," Eri nodded as she handed Kagome a glass, "try this."

"No, Eri, I can't drink… I'm too young."

"She's so cute!" Michiko squealed as she took a drink from her now off-duty bouncer boyfriend and handed another to Sachiko and Ayumi. "She's so innocent and sweet!"

"I bet she's never had sex," Ayumi teased as she tugged on her friend's sleeve and pulled her closer. How she envied Kagome, she was so pretty and _naturally_ so, that was always the hardest type of beauty to achieve. She didn't even know they were going clubbing that night, she dressed conservatively in a non-revealing crystal blue V-neck, boyfriend fit silk-cashmere top and nutmeg colored jeans, she didn't even have to wear make-up to stand out like the other's couldn't. "Have you ever kissed someone, Kagome?"

"Stop it, guys," she pouted as she reluctantly took the drink from Eri.

"Oh! My! God!" Eri gawked as she covered her mouth.

"You haven't!" Sachiko jumped a bit, "whoa! Kagome! That's our goal for the night, get Kagome's first kiss!"

"No, guys!" Kagome shook her head, "come on, sure I have…" sort of.

"Fine, you drink that," Eri pointed to her cup, "and we'll back off."

With a deep breath Kagome weighed her options and let the little devil make the choice for her.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"That asshole! I don't even know what he wanted, he was so weird!" Kagome almost stuttered as she swayed from one foot to the other.

"You should go over there and give him a piece of your mind, Kagome," Sachiko edged on with a small smirk as she finished off her first cup, she could handle herself but Kagome clearly couldn't. A drunken Kagome was very, very funny Kagome, her friends discovered quickly.

"You so should," Michiko nodded as she pushed her towards the VIP section, "tell him just cause he's drop dead sexy doesn't mean he can't be so jerk-off-ish."

"Exactly!" Kagome raised a hand in the air to show her support for her supposed idea as she marched forward.

"You guys," Eri drew out as she leaned back into her guy for the night's arms more, "that's kind of mean."

"Oh well, what could ever happen to perfect Kagome?" Ayumi shrugged, "Hojo drawls all over her and she doesn't even give a damn."

"If something happened to Kagome… like she got a boyfriend," Sachiko smiled ever so innocently, "Hojo would be free for… a better," she choice her word carefully, "_woman_ and not a girl."

"Though, honestly, Hojo would love a virgin," Michiko added as she sat down on the lap of her boyfriend.

"Hey, you!" Kagome shouted as she got to the red velvet rope that separated the elites from the common club folk, a bouncer stopped her before she could jump it.

"Who's that?" Coffee questioned as she let her revealed legs stretch out on the couch and leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"Isn't that the little high schooler who was proclaiming her love for you earlier today, Shiro?" Blondy inquired absently as she mimicked her friend's actions. "Tell her to go away."

"You are weird!" Kagome declared as she pointed her finger at 'Shiro' before letting her hand sway away, "you dragged me out of McDonalds for no reason today without even giving me a reason!"

"Did I?" He asked with a shrug, the little girl defiantly had one too many, "you are Kagome, right?"

"Yes! I! am Kagome," she nodded once swiftly, "what did you want today?"

"Whoa, there, Kagome," Blondy bickered with a snarl, "you're going to tip over."

"Shut up, hooker woman," Kagome demanded as she countered herself and gained her balance once more to proudly place her hands upon her hips.

"What did you just say!?" Coffee girl shouted, "how dare you! Shiro!"

A smirk surfaced as he brushed the woman off to walk over to the boundary ropes, to get a better look at the fiery girl that tried her utmost to stare him down all the way, "do you know…?" dare he say? Dare he ask? Yes, "a man named Inuyasha?"

Maybe it was the right Kagome, finally, but maybe they hadn't met yet. Maybe… how was it again that he knew a Kagome from five hundred years in the future? The world was a flipped up, strange place, and he knew that best. Some magic was probably behind it or maybe… like all the other maybes in his life, he just didn't care. Maybe Kagome didn't mean an ebony waved, hazel eyed beauty. Maybe he had made that up at some point.

"Inu…?" that near deadly stare faded and slowly was over taken by furrowed brows and an ever so slightly ajared mouth, "Inu… Yasha? Inuyasha? Why do you know him…? Who are you?"

"You do know Inuyasha?" He stood up straight and raised a brow. That wasn't a common name, not like Kagome, how many people were named that? Especially nowadays?"Really?"

"How do you know about Inuyasha?" Kagome repeated with a bit more confusion.

"Come with me," he requested as he jumped over, easily, the red rope and grabbed one of her arms, gently.

"Shiro!" Blondy whined.

"Shut it, women," he demanded without even looking back.

That… Kagome couldn't believe how much that sounded just like Inuyasha. Was this Shiro guy his reincarnation like she had thought for a fleeting moment? Did he somehow have memories from his past life? That would make sense; that she could maybe understand… too bad she had too much to drink to think straight.

"Who are you?" Kagome protested as she jerked her arm free and stepped away from him as soon as the brisk city air blew some of her hair once they stepped outside. "Why do you know Inuyasha? Why do you look like him? Why do you talk like him? Why…?"

"Settle down, don't cry," he snickered.

"I'm not!" She proclaimed weakly, "how do you know Inuyasha?"

"How do you! I asked first!"

"Actually, I did," he kept up only to fluster her into stomping her flat heeled boot upon the ground, "well?"

"He's not going to like it when I tell him some weirdo named Shiro is picking on me about him!" She warned as she poked him in the chest, "he'll get mad and he'll, he'll, come and find you!"

"What is he your boyfriend or something?"

Just like that she straightened up and her cheeks reddened, "n-no, no!"

"Hm," he nodded with a wiry gaze, this girl clearly wasn't going to fess up anytime soon. Now was that because her story would sound as insane as his or the simple fact that she was drunk? "So that doesn't answer anything. Let's just make this clear, are we both talking about a half demon?"

"Ah!" Kagome gawked, "what? How do you know that!?"

"Huh," he shrugged, "that makes things interesting for once."

{xoxoxoxoxox}

A sober Kagome would never _ever_ have gone home with a stranger like she did that night, nope, she was fairly certain about that at least but… who really knows? Either way she did and was she ever impressed by the fantastic façade. It was enough to make her forget why she even agreed to go there.

"Wow…"

"I get that a lot, usually after I get the girl into bed," he teased but she most likely didn't hear since she just kept walking round with her mouth half opened, "will you tell me now how you know Inuyasha? I'll tell you how I do afterwards."

"Uh," Kagome dragged out as she spun around to look at him, a bit wobbly, too, "I go back and forth between Feudal Era Japan and now via this well thingy that's on my family's property. Inuyasha is a half demon that I freed from a tree back there, he's _super_ strong," she assured as she took a step forward and tried to illustrate that with her hands, "and really short tempered but a good guy. He protects me. We are looking for the shikon no tama to kill Naraku, this evil," she wrinkled her nose, "demon and save Sango's brother Kohaku and Miroku."

Sango… Miroku… those names always sparked something in the very, very, very back of his mind but he never remembered what.

"What?" She questioned once she noticed the stricken look on his face, "you don't believe me, do you? This is why I don't tell people and everyone thinks I'm so sickly and stuff! And somehow innocent, why is that a bad thing!? So I'm not a whorish woman like other people! Why do I get made fun of because of that!? Is that a good quality!?"

"What?" he shook his head, "what are you talking about?"

"What are _you_ talking about?" Kagome countered ever so supposedly cleverly as she placed her hands once more on her hips, "how do you know my," she cleared her throat, "Inuyasha?"

"I'm Inuyasha," he stated in a matter-of-fat tone. Why not just come clean? What did it even matter?

"I knew it!" Kagome jumped up and down as she pointed at him with glee, "you're his reincarnation, aren't you!? That's cool! I'm Kikyou's reincarnation and we're from the same time period!"

"What?" He scoffed; did he say anything about reincarnations? He sure did hope it was the alcohol that made her sound so stupid or else he was a fool to spend five hundred years looking for her… why was he looking for her?

"Kikyou is a priestess!"

"Kik…Kikyou," he breathlessly whispered as he looked away, turning his back to her to stare out his windows—the reason he bought the place. Kikyou that name rang a bell, too, but he no longer remembered why. It gave him a knot in his chest, at least it used to.

"Hello?" Kagome pushed his shoulder slightly as she walked up beside him, "you listening to me?"

"I am Inuyasha," he repeated slower, softer, before his less hazel and more golden gaze moved to her once more, "not his reincarnation, him."

"No you aren't!" Kagome laughed, "Inuyasha is a half demon with _long_ silver hair and blinding golden eyes and fangs and dog ears!" That was why she knew it couldn't be him, that's why she grabbed his ears to prove they were human ones but… they _weren't_. Her eyes widened right away as she backed away.

Pointed, they were just slightly pointed but she knew what that meant. He was a full… "you… you are a…"

"I used the shikon no tama to become a full demon," he explained as he walked over to his magnificent bar stand and poured himself a glass of his favorite, oldest, brandy with two ice cubes, he lifted his glass to her to see if she wanted anything but she had yet to blink so he doubted it.

"In…Inuyasha….?"

"Yeah, it's been five hundred years, huh?"

"Inuyasha…" she repeated once more as she covered her mouth with both hands and muffled something else, he guessed it was his name again. How long had it been since he heard it? Heard it like that, too? With such feeling behind it?

"Kagome—"

"Does that mean we won!?" She exclaimed after she swiftly withdrew her hands, "that Sango and Miroku live happily ever after? That we get the full shikon no tama back? That Naraku dies?"

Without a reply he walked back over to her but never looked at her, his eyes always stuck to his favorite view, his glass swishing in his hand before he took a much needed sip. Was this really happening? Yes, it had to be, when was the last time he had a dream?

"I can't recall. It was so long ago."

"How can you not remember!?" This wasn't happening, this person couldn't be Inuyasha after all, "why do people call you Shiro if you are Inuyasha!?"

"I don't know, some woman started calling me that at some point and it caught on."

"Some woman!?" She kicked his shin but apparently caused him no discomfort, just enough to make him glance to her, "what were you doing with those trampy looking women before anyway!?"

"What? You said we weren't together, so was I meant to wait five hundred years for you?"

That stopped her dead in her tracks, her stiffness subsided, her shoulders sagged as her hands slowly drifted to her side. That's right… they weren't together… that must mean they never would be… how could she ask him to wait five hundred years? If he used the shikon no tama to become a demon then she had to be out of his life… she wouldn't ever have wanted to be around him if he did that. She didn't even really think he wanted to be a full demon anymore.

"Right… we aren't," she murmured to herself as her glance slowly moved to the floor, "what do you want then… Inuyasha?"

"I don't know," he muttered as he walked over to his bedroom.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Kagome cried out but in three minutes he never came out nor replied so, cautiously, she walked over to the edge of the door and looked into the bedroom, "why is your shirt off!?"

"Why does it bother you so much?" He countered as he waved her in, she didn't budge from her stiffened, starry eyed, self.

"Tell me why I did this," he requested while he moved over to her, one hand of his went up to the tattoo upon his shoulder, "tell me why… I don't remember why."

It felt like forever that she stared into his familiar yet so different eyes before she looked to the spot in question, her eyes couldn't go any wider so he couldn't tell how she reacted to seeing it.

In perfect scroll there her name was written, Kagome.


	4. Diffident

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Three: Diffident **

"That's…" Kagome awed as her shaky, pale, smooth hand rose up to trace the black kanji that had been printed upon him. Alas, with a hazy mind still her fingers slid away from the tattoo and traced his arm almost fully, "you were always strong but looked scrawny most of the time. But now you don't, you are very toned."

He just gave a slow nod with a raised brow before he snatched her hand, winning her confused gaze to lock back onto his eyes, "Kagome."

"Inuyasha," she soothed, his eyes were so different. His body was a bit more buff, not drastically, but noticeably, his hair was short and black, his doggy ears were gone, but nothing stood out to her like his eyes. It wasn't even the color so much as what they were laced with, what was it…? The Inuyasha she knew had his burdens, his sorrows, but was strong nevertheless and short-tempered to counter it all but this Inuyasha… there was something mixed in with the emptiness.

Something that even an intoxicated Kagome wanted to make go away, with a step forward she almost had her body pressed against his, "Inu—"

But he didn't allow her the time to finish his name before he literally swept her off of her feet to plop her down on his spacious, luxurious, red bed. Bafflement might have blemished her beauty some but he leaned down to kiss her before she could protest. Her eyes widened as his closed, it only took a moment for hers to do the same, for her to lie down fully as his lips left hers to trail down her neck.

He was gentle, more so than he had ever been with another. It wasn't until she relaxed fully that he moved down to remove her boots and socks. Gradually, he let his hand roam up to the outer side of her leg until he reached her oversized shirt. She was lovely and possessed a natural splendor; he knew how rare that was and had always been partial to it. Perhaps she had a strange behavior, but if it subsided some he could easily see how she had enchanted him enough to—

"What?" He growled as he looked up to the oddly quiet girl that ought to be whimpering, fiddling around some, or asking him to go slower, faster, to be gentle with her, to be harsh, but… his brow twitched as he placed a hand beside her head to look her straight in the face.

She. Had. Fallen. _Asleep_.

No one, he was quiet sure of it, had ever fallen asleep on him before! This woman, he shook some as he got off the bed and grabbed his not yet finished glass of brandy.

"Pain in the ass," he grunted to himself.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

When had the ground ever been so comfy? When had her sleeping bag ever really kept her hair free from twigs, dirt or leaves? She smiled softly to herself as she rolled over and snuggled closer to the pillow below her… wait… pillow? Fluttered eyes finally opened up enough for her to focus on her surroundings. That was right, she wasn't with Inuyasha back in the past, she was at home.

Hold it, she snapped up and spun out of the foreign bed. No she wasn't; where was she?

"Oh my god!" Kagome shrieked as she grabbed the alarm clock beside the bed, "I'm going to be late to school!"

"What are you complaining about?" Inuyasha inquired as he walked into the room only to stop dead in his tracks when he saw the look on her face. Stun, shock, and utter disgust.

"Oh my god!" she repeated, had she really gone home with a stranger? What did she do? _What_ did she do? She closed her eyes and took a breath before checking to see and, yes, thankfully, she had her clothes on. The only thing missing were her boots. She would never do something inappropriate even if she was intoxicated... right?

"What is wrong with you?" He bickered while she jumped about to get her boots back on, completely disregarding her socks. He stepped aside as she ran by him, "where are you going?"

"School! Stay away from me you creeper! How could you take a drunken high schooler back to your apartment!?" Kagome lectured as she went to the door and yanked it open, only turning around enough to give him one hell of a look, "creeper!"

Creeper? His jaw actually dropped, _creeper_? He was a creeper? He'd never been called that… "wait—!" but it was useless, she slammed the door shut with all her might.

{xoxoxoxoxoxo}

"Kagome, where have you been?" Her mother worriedly questioned as her daughter darted past her and up the stairs, "Kagome!"

"Sorry, mom! I have to change, I'm going to be late for school!" she shouted back down as she pulled her shirt off and changed into her uniform quicker than she ever had in her entire life.

"Kagome," her mother kept up as soon as she exited her room, "please, tell me where you went last night. Did you go back through the well? I wish you'd tell me when you do that. I worry. I am probably the only mother in the entire world that would allow you to do something so dangerous… but I accept it is your fate… so the least you can do is tell me where you are when you are here. I called Eri's home and her mother said you weren't there…"

"Sorry, mom, I have to go, I can't miss my final. I'll tell you everything later," Kagome promised after she gave her mother a quick peck on the cheek, "I am sorry for making you worry!"

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"Kagome," Ayumi smirked as she rested her arms on his friend's desk after the final bell rung, then her chin upon them, "where'd you end up going last night, hm? With Mr. Cutie? Naughty, naughty."

"Shut up, it's not like that," Kagome ordered but it came out far less firm than she would have hoped since she had her head buried in her folded arms. Could it get any worse? She defiantly got at best a D on her history final and left, drunkenly, with some creeper the night before. Granted, a cute creeper.

"What are you talking about?" Hojo asked with a bit of a frown, he had always sat right next to Kagome in any class they had together.

"Oh, last night we took Kagome to the clubs for the first time and she got a bit intoxicated for the first time," Ayumi began.

"Did you get your first kiss last night, Kagome?" Sachiko smiled innocently as she knelt beside her friend, "was it a good kiss? My first kiss was nasty, that guy opened his mouth so much, ew," she shivered at the thought.

"First... kiss...?" Hojo awed, Kagome, the most beautiful girl in all the school, had never been kissed before and he failed to become her first? That would have just completed his life if he had.

"Leave me alone," she kept up as she raised her head to glare at Ayumi, "of course I didn't do anything with that guy. I'm not a tramp or anything. My clothes never came off around him."

"That's too bad," Eri giggled as she came up to her, "he was good looking, I hope you got his number at the least."

"I told you Kagome probably just went home," Sachiko defended.

"No, why would I get his number? I hope I never see him again in my life," she stated with a 'hmph'. Because, really it would be so embarrassing to see that guy, he must think she's such an easy catch…

"Doesn't look like that's going to happen," Eri declared with a nod towards the window, "that guy's waiting at the front gate."

"Oh, Kagome, nice," Sachiko praised with two thumbs up, "you got him coming to pick you up from school. Does he go to college? He looks old enough."

What was he doing there? Kagome could feel the color drain from her face as she looked out to see him lazily lean against the gate, staring aimlessly ahead

"Who is that, Kagome?" Hojo asked but a few seconds too late, since when he looked back to where she had just stood she was gone.

"It's OK, Hojo," Ayumi assured with a pat on his back, "do you want to walk me home instead?"

"What are you doing here?!" Kagome cried out as she stomped over to him, it wasn't until she was only a few feet away when he stood up and looked at her. "How do you even know what school I go to? You stalker!"

"You left this," he began as he held out her student ID. "Settle down, Kagome," he did enjoy saying that name when he had someone to say it to. "I want to talk to you."

"No," she snapped as she swiftly pulled the ID out of his grasp, "leave me alone!" Forget her next final; she was only going to fail it anyway so she'd just go back to the feudal era that night. Without once making eye contact with him, because that would have been too shameful, her cheeks were too red to start out with anyway, she'd leave. She was sure he thought it was out of anger but it wasn't… she closed her eyes before turning around and running off towards her home. It was just too embarrassing knowing she had gone home with that guy! Oh, Inuyasha would be so mad at her…

She had to go see him, go back a day early. Maybe she should just do what Souta was always told her to do and give up on school for a year and start over later. That would probably be best for her college chances, yeah! She'd just devote the rest of the year to finishing off Naraku and the shikon no tama. That way everyone would be happy, sure her friends would be a year ahead of her but wouldn't she just be held back anyway for her horrid grades? At least this way she could blame it on her 'illness' and most colleges would probably understanding her being out for a year of high school because of whatever her grandpa came up with.

A gasp for air was deeply needed after she finally slowed down in front of the well's hut; she had gotten very good at long distance running. You had to be when demons were out to kill you almost every day, after all.

"Kagome," the sound of her own name almost made her jump right out of her skin as her hand slapped against her heart, "sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Mom," she sighed after turning around to give a weak smile, "nothing, what's up?"

"I was doing your laundry today…" her mother began with furrowed brows and the most discrete frown, "and your clothes from last night smelled of alcohol… where did you go? I understand nowadays high school children go out and do things they shouldn't but… couldn't you not? I let you go back and forth; I let you do so poorly in school, is it too much to ask that you focus on school when you _are_ home?"

"M-mom," she stuttered before her eyes met the ground, "I'm sorry…"

"It's alright, children make mistakes," her mother smoothed as she placed a hand on her shoulder, "did anything bad happen last night?"

"No! I promise, I didn't do anything," she sped, "I promise."

Her mother opened her mouth to inquire about her dearest daughter's strange behavior but someone caught her eye first, "can we help you?"

Reluctantly, Kagome took a breath before turning her head to see just who she expected… him, Shiro…

"What, Shiro?" Kagome sighed.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Kagome…? Is this a friend of yours from school?"

With a breath she was able to let her tension hide behind a bright smile, for her mother's sake, "he is a friend of mine, can you give me a moment, mom? We can talk about this later, OK?"

"If you say so, Kagome," her mother wirily replied before looking over the boy she had never seen before, but he was oddly familiar, as she walked back into their house.

"How do you know where I live?" Kagome harshly spoke in between grinned teeth as soon as she was completely sure her mother was not eavesdropping at the backdoor, "leave me alone already!"

"Look," he lifted one hand to try and sooth her, "settle down," apparently she was a forgetful drink, how could she not remember any of last night? Any of what he said? "I'm Inuyasha, remember? It's been five hundred years since we've seen each other, I used the shikon no tama to become a full fledged demon hence how I could track your scent with ease. I told you all this last—"

"Why?" Kagome murmured as her tension drizzled out of her, "why are you going through all this effort to make fun of me?"

"Make…?" But he couldn't even repeat it before her eyes began to water, "what?! Are you really gonna crying?"

"No," she objected crackly as she lifted her sleeve up to whip her eyes clean, "stop being such a jerk and just leave! I must have been really amusing last night, huh?! Saying such strange things, you must have gotten a real kick out of it! So much so that you come all this way to make fun of me?"

It made sense, she guessed, that when she got drunk she started talking about things she shouldn't. That she would probably doted over Inuyasha while she was too intoxicated to leave out the fact that he was a half-demon and that probably got her to talking about the shikon no tama and her fear of him using it to become a true demon… how she was scared he'd _forget_ her if he did. Just like he did when he went berserk without his sword… She probably talked about the shrine her family kept, that must have been how he found her, and how she could travel five hundred years in the past through the well.

He probably laughed and laughed at her, those stupid gold-digging girls must have gotten a good giggle out of it too.

"You're right, you did say some amusing things last night but—" he tried to get closer to her yet she pushed him away and took a step closer to the hut, "Kagome—"

"I'll prove it to you!" She shouted as she spun around and slid open the door to run down the stairs and over the well, "just watch!"

She couldn't lose face in front of him, he was a stranger, he shouldn't matter, she embarrassed herself all the time but… she didn't want Shiro thinking she was insane, that she was stupid, or that she was full of it.

"What!?" Kagome cried when she felt a yank on the arm she had above her head. Instead of wooshing through the mystical blue lights that took her from one era to another she simply daggled there, "let me go!"

"No!"

"Why not?" She asked as she looked up at him all the while trying her best to yank her arm free, "let me go! I'm not going to break my leg, just watch!"

"You can't go back there!" he protested, it was a good thing he was so strong and she was so light or else hanging halfway over the well while only having hold of one of her wrists would lead to him to topple right over.

"Why!? You think I'm crazy! That's why you—"

"I'm not making fun of you! I! Am! Inuyasha! I grew up in the feudal era, my mother was a human, my father was a demon. Just come up here and I will prove it to you," and without waiting for her reply he pulled her back up enough that she could kneel of the well. He knew better then to let go even though that was exactly what her narrowed eyes demanded. He had both hands on her waist now, "look at my ears, it'll prove it to you. Just like it did last night."

Slowly she pressed her lips together and moved his short black hair out of the way so she could see what he was talking about, just like the night before her eyes widened, "they're pointed…"

"I'm a demon."

"How do I know you aren't just some demon trying to trick me into giving him the shikon no tama shards that I have?" She bickered as he picked her up and set her back down so she stood on her own.

He nodded and took a step between her and the well; he still thought that she'd make another go for it if he gave her the chance, "that's a fair question. I don't know how to answer that, but…" he removed his jacket and hung it over the well before he began to upon his shirt.

"Oh my god! What are you doing!?" Kagome shrieked as she covered her eyes and turned away, "pervert!"

"I need you to answer me something," he firmly stated as he slid his shirt down enough that his tattoo was revealed, "why would I tattoo your name on my body?"

With her hands still on her face but her fingers parted into Vs so she could still see she turned around to cautiously look, "because you are trying to prove to me that you are—"

"No, I'm not saying if I was a demon trying to deceive you or not. I'm asking you why Inuyasha, why I, would do that. Kagome, I have been looking for you five hundred years, I'm sure of that now. I've been thinking about it all day. You have to be _the_ Kagome."

"If you are Inuyasha…" she slowly let her hands slid down her face as her hazel gaze locked onto her name upon his arm, "then you… wouldn't have… to ask me… tell me something that only Inuyasha would know and I'll believe you."

Five _hundred_ years? He waited five hundred years for her? No, no, that's just too much, too hard to grasp. She couldn't even try to start; she couldn't even wonder why he'd need to wait for her…

"I can't," he stated as he pulled his shirt back on and began to button it up, "it's been so long… I can't remember much from back then. A lot has happened, I've had new memories replace old ones," no matter how hard he tried to resist that, "that's why I tattooed your name on my shoulder, it must be, so I could remember that I was waiting for you… but," he looked from the ground up to her hazels—hazel eyes, ebony waves, frail skin—and took a breath, "why would I want to wait for you for so long?"

"I… I… need to think," she decided with some stutters as she took a few steps back until she hit the stairs, "I need to think."

"If you come with me back to my condo I'll show you some things, maybe it'll help you believe me."

"What things?" She asked as she turned around and walked out of the hut.

"Some of the objects I've had since before I can remember," he explained as he followed her.

"I…" needed an excuse, so she took a breath and looked over at him, "need to study for my final tomorrow. Maybe… later I'll stop by. I still remember where you live…"

"Fine," he grunted as she shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, "just promise me one thing."

"Maybe, what is it?"

"Please don't go back to feudal era until we talk, you can take that the wrong way and assume I'm saying this to hurt you… so you don't go back and tell me your in danger," because he'd save her from it, right? He could travel through the well too, couldn't he? "Or you could just try trusting me. I am Inuyasha. I don't need the shikon no tama shards you have, I've already used it. Just, please, don't go back."

"Why…?"

"Tomorrow, if you come see me then, I might have an answer for you."

There had to be a reason why dread filled him at the thought of her leaving this era for the one they met in. Something happened to her back then… did she die? Or did she just end up leaving him for her own time?

He had to remember.


	5. Tease

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Four: Tease**

"So…?" Sachiko dragged out as she escorted Kagome out of their school after their last day before winter break, "you didn't mention that Shiro guy coming to visit you at all today. What happened? Did he ask you out? Which college does he go to? Tell me more; tell me more," Sachiko demanded lightly as she pulled on her friend's jacket's sleeve with a pout, "please?"

"I don't know much about him," not Shiro, he was a stranger, everything about him was different. Inuyasha she knew well, probably better than any of her friends, but Shiro—even if he was Inuyasha five hundred years later—was nothing like him. He didn't really lose his temper with her even when she was being difficult, there was never a 'keh', he never folded his arms with a glare, he never… did anything very Inuyasha. That was why it was so hard to believe it _was_ her adored Inuyasha…

But when had she ever run into a genuine demon in her own era? Never. Ghosts, yes, demons? No, weren't they all gone…? Apparently not, but did that really mean Inuyasha could survive for five hundred years? And why, really, _why_ had he used the shikon no tama to become a full demon? Why would she have allowed him to do such… no, she couldn't even wonder because she knew. If that was what Inuyasha really wanted she'd never stop him. She never wanted to be like all those before her that told him what he should do—be it become human or stay a half-demon, she just couldn't. She wanted to support him in anything he did… apparently, if what Shiro said is true, that even meant even supporting him in becoming a full demon.

"Kagome," Sachiko called out as the crosswalk light signaled them to go, "we live this way."

"I'm going to go visit a friend," she smiled with a wave as she headed off to the bus stop not too far away—why'd Shiro have to live on the opposite side of Tokyo from her and her school? It was so bothersome.

"You are going to see Shiro, huh?! Call me later tonight and tell me what happens! Good luck, Kagome!" Sachiko cheered her on as she went off in her proper direction.

Luck, ha, luck never had anything to do with it.

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

A knock, knock, knock, irked him enough that he finally bothered to roll out of bed and pull on pants and a sweater before he yanked open his front door. "Kagome?"

"Hi, you said I should come by today, right?" She reminded as she stepped by him to glance around the fine décor of his condo, she vaguely remembered what it looked like but the alcohol and confusion made it more a blur. There were some paintings and a few scrolls that lined the walls. She got the feeling all of those were quiet old but for the most part it lacked a sense of attachment. The walls weren't painted, sure there were decorations about but she did get the feeling that Shiro hadn't done it himself.

"I did but I didn't think you'd come in your uniform," he declared as he closed his door, never letting his auburn mixed amber eyes the chance to leave her figure. A. School. Girl. A _high_ school girl, she was so young, she'd proven herself childish, immature, and… why had she enchanted him so?

"I just came from school," Kagome scoffed as she spun around to give him quiet a stern glare, "so you think I should have gone _all_ the way home to change then come _all_ the way over here to see you? Besides," she smiled slightly, "this is what I always wore when I went back to the feudal era."

He rolled his eyes before he led her into his living room, "what are you? Fifteen? What the hell was I thinking…?"

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" She shouted back as she folded her arms upon her chest and plopped down on the less than comfy crimson couch, "I'm sixteen, almost seventeen, _thank you_."

"Wow," Inuyasha mouthed mockingly with a shake of his head as he went to a fine cherry oak cabinet to fetch himself a glass of whatever happened to be in the cabinet at the time.

"Every time I see you," with the exclusion of that time at McDonalds and when he came to visit her at school, "you have a glass of something in your hand."

"So?" he glanced over to her and she simply shrugged, "do you want one?"

"I'm under aged," she scoffed with narrowed gaze.

"Yeah, 'cause that mattered a whole lot the night before last."

Well, he had her there so she bit her lips and looked away, "anyway, didn't you say you could prove to me that you're Inuyasha with some stuff you have here?"

"Did I say that?" He mused with a few swirls of his glass before taking a sip, "I can show you two things I've had forever, I don't know if that'll prove anything to you, though."

"Try anyway."

Their eyes met once she turned her head back to look at him, a strange array of emotions fluttered about them before he broke their gaze so he could open the bottom door of the cabinet to pull out a six inch glossy black box but instead of walking over and kindly handing it to her he simply threw it.

"Uh, you jerk," Kagome jeered once the hard box dropped on her lap. It was only because he completely ignored her that she kept glaring at his turned back as he fiddled around with something in the very back of his cabinet instead of paying attention to what was inside the box while she opened it up. When he turned around and stood up he had a seethed sword in hand.

"Does that mean anything to you?" He inquired as he nodded towards what was inside the box.

Slowly she turned her attention from him to what was inside and just like that her eyes soothed as she took out the purple beaded necklace with candor, "where did you get this?"

"I wore it for a few hundred years; it was only in the mid-1800s that I met a mystic that could remove it. I remember a priestess put it on me, I think I was doing something that I shouldn't have… but I don't know. It doesn't do anything; it just wouldn't ever come off."

"You were trying to kill me, it was the first time we met," Kagome whispered as she let the necklace glide along her hands, it was all she could focus on, "when you wore it and I said the word '_sit_' you'd slam to the ground."

'_SIT, boy!_' Rang through his head, his hand snapped up to his forehead as he closed his eyes…

"Is that the…?"

"Tetsusaiga," he nodded while he unsheathed it, but it made no change from its rusted form, "it was my father's sword, made from…" it always eluded him for a moment or two, "from…"

"One of his fangs," Kagome coaxed as she set the box down and let the necklace slide down her wrist before she got up to walk over to him, "do you remember going into your father's bones to retrieve it? Fighting Sesshomaru?"

"Bits and pieces of it, Sesshomaru and I talked about it every now and then."

"I was the one that pulled the Tetsusaiga free," she somewhat bragged but the blank look he gave her made her frown, "you don't remember that, huh?"

With a shrug he seethed it again, "it doesn't turn anymore, have you seen it when it did?"

"Yeah, you were always using it. What do you mean it doesn't transformer anymore? Why? Is it because you're a full demon?"

"No, it still worked for me afterwards for a while but…" he paused while he carelessly threw the sword back into where it had once been hidden, "shit happened and there really isn't any need for it. You sound like you believe me now," he declared as he picked up his glass again and took a step away from her, "do you?"

"Well…" her hazels moved away from him. Did she? Her head wavered but, as ridiculous as it sounded and she knew it was… her heart told it otherwise. "How," she stopped herself from calling him 'Inuyasha', "could you… for five hundred years?"

"Live?" he mused before he finished off his glass and set it down. "Kagome, in the past, what were we?"

Eh? What… her cheeks were sure to have flushed pink as she stuttered out her answer, "wh-what were we…?"

"Obviously I waited for _you_ for five hundred years," hence the tattoo, the details of a woman he burned into his mind that described her, "that's why we had to be something, right?"

She opened her mouth to retort but nothing came out so she closed it once more, why would he in less…? Did he? That much… that he waited for _five hundred_ years for her? Could anyone ever top that? Who could? Who could say that someone cared so much that they'd wait for hundreds of years for them?

"Well? It's not a hard concept, either we were something or we weren't," he slowly said to try and get through her stunned mind. After a few steps forward he was right in front of her, she didn't move and couldn't speak as he rose his hand up to brush some of her rouge strands of ebony out of her face, "the other night you reacted perfectly when we kissed," almost as if they had many times before.

"K-kissed?" She choked right before her hands swept up to cover her lips.

"What?" he retracted his hand as his auburn-amber orbs moved about her face until they widened, "that wasn't your first… it was, wasn't it!?" That meant… they'd never kissed? How could he have fallen for a woman that he never even… he shook his head as he turned around to walk up to his windowed walls, he shouldn't overact. Maybe he just intercepted her before them become intimate, before they kissed, yeah, he'd just rather think like that.

Inuyasha hadn't even kissed her yet and she let—wait, she closed her eyes as she let her fingers slid across her lips—Inuyasha _had_ been her first kiss just… a different Inuyasha, Shiro.

She can't go back to his original era… he couldn't allow that, he didn't even bother to wonder why anymore, he just knew. "If I told you never to go back to the feudal era, would you listen to me?"

"Why?" She wirily questioned while her hazels avoided his ambers, "does something happen to me…?"

"I don't know," he shrugged nonchalantly as he returned to fill up his glass once more, winning himself a slap on the shoulder when he passed her.

"What do you mean you don't know!? Wouldn't that be something you remember?"

"Seems like something I should," he agreed as he capped the bottle once more to turn and look at the still flustered girl, "but that's besides the point. If I told you not to go, would you listen to me? Would you never return?"

"No," she stated fairly surely with a firm look on her façade, "I can't. I promised Inuyasha… you, Miroku, Sango, and Shippou that I would help them find the full jewel and kill Naraku."

He sighed while he swirled his glass and glanced around, somehow he figured as much. Strong minded was defiantly a word he'd tie to her but that didn't matter, he had to keep her away from that well… he could probably just destroy it, that'd work, she'd probably get beyond pissed at him so… why not do what he always did to get a woman to do as he said?

After his final swig he set his glass down and looked her square in the eyes before he placed a hand on each of her stiff shoulders, "Kagome."

"Shiro," she said without thinking, she just… couldn't call him Inuyasha.

"Just settle down," he soothed as he let his hands slide down her shoulders to her upper arm and, reluctantly, she let her shoulders sag some but her stare didn't alter, "I won't ask you to then, OK?"

"Really?" She lightened with a bit of awe, Inuyasha—the one she knew and adored—would never just let it go like that. It was usually by this point that a shouting match would break out between them and a few 'sits' would be thrown about but… had five hundred years cooled down his hot head?

Yes, or something like that, she could tell from looking into his estranged eyes. The not right colored things that they were, there was something behind them, in them, that called out to her… not for love, not for joy, but something she truly wanted to fix. That must have been why she allowed him another kiss, why when he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her closer she let her arms hug his neck. Somehow she allowed their kiss to deepen, somehow she allowed him to pick her up and hold her closer as he moved their scene from the living room to the bedroom. Somehow she didn't see the implication as he gently laid her down on his unmade bed and kicked his own shoes off before climbing onto of her.

"Kagome," he whispered into her ear once their lips parted.

Sweet shivers cascaded down her spine as his hand moved up her exposed thigh and under her skirt right while his lips met hers to muffle her protest.

This was the best way. This way she'd submit to him, in more ways than one. This way he'd win her over; make his past self nothing more than a foggy memory, so she'd forget him. She'd stay.

She'd be safe.


	6. Traitorous

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Five: Traitorous**

_WHACK!_

The sound echoed about the still room. Both were left breathless… speechless. It was abrupt, all of it, and far too much. She couldn't… she wasn't surprised when she finally pried open her eyes to see that Shiro lingered over her still with his face turned from the force of her smack, his eyes wide open. It was clear it didn't hurt him, it didn't even leave a mark, but she was sure it stunned him.

She… she _slap _him? Reject him? How often did that happen…? Almost never, he's had plenty of practice, plenty of praise, so how could she push him away and run out of his bedroom to slam the door behind her?

"Wait, Kagome!" He called out as he leaped off his bed and jetted to the door.

"I don't know you!" She shouted back, which caused him to stop; he could tell she was right there, standing with her hands to the door.

"Of course you do, I'm—"

"I know you are but… but you wouldn't do this! It's too quick, I can't!" As of two days ago she had never been kissed a boy so how could anyone really expect that she'd just pull of her panties for him? How could he? She didn't want her first time like that… she had the same girlish dream as all others, something romantic, something sweet, something brilliant and memorable. Not something that just _happened_.

Alright, so he _had_ been waiting five hundred years for her… that was nice, it was sweet, but… but… but, "you don't really remember me, do you?"

He supposed he should have seen this coming, after all, he just took her first kiss not more than two days ago but he'd done that before and bedded the girl all in the same night. Great, she was the sentimental type, he sighed as he rested his forehead on the door. He shouldn't be shocked, he had been hoping she was so that she'd become attached to the present him instead of the past him, hadn't he?

"Maybe this'll help me remember," he muttered back just loud enough so she could hear him.

"No," she shook her head as she, too, leaned her forehead against the almost so deep red oak door that it was black. "No, it doesn't work like that. I won't… no, not unless you remember me… I know Inuyasha from feudal era Japan, I don't know Shiro. I can't."

He didn't bother to open his door until he heard the thumps of her loafers upon his floor stop with an almost silent close of his front door. It wasn't until she had time to leave the building and, very luckily, catch the bus that was waiting at the stop across the street that a daunting thought popped into his mind.

What if she was going to go through the well?

{xoxoxoxoxoxo}

"Kagome, what is wrong with you?" She silently scolded herself as she began up the stairs to her home, how could she even allow him to go so far…? Then again, really, she didn't allow him to go far at all. Just another kiss, granted, a deep one, but still just a kiss... When his hands roamed up to below her skirt she got her sense back and smacked him away. It was only because it was Inuyasha that she allowed it to go as far as it did. But it was wrong; he was the wrong one…

"Where have you been?" The harsh almost raspy voice that she had yearned to hear barked at her as soon as she got to the top.

Right away she knew what she'd see when she looked up from the concrete; she just had to smile when she saw it was true. There he stood in all his pissed-off glory, his arms tucked away in his sleeves, folded upon his chest, his perfectly golden orbs staring right at her with furrowed brows and a snarling frown. Silver long locks with dog ears on top, everything was right, everything was ideal. That, no, _he_ was Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha!" She cried back with the greatest of grins as she ran over to him, almost too giddy, but before she could get another word out he started the same lecture she always expected from him when she was supposedly 'late' to return.

"Ain't your school done? Why aren't you back? Get your bag, let's go, you're wasting time."

"I'm so glad to see you!" She declared disregarding what he had said completely as she clasped her hands in front of her chest.

"You… are?" He asked with a raised brow and a half step backwards, "what's wrong with you?" The joy she radiated was odd and a great deal more than she usually did. It hadn't been more than a few days…

"Why does there have to be anything wrong with me?" She snapped back with her hands upon her hips, "can't I just be happy to see _you_?" Good old, normal, ignorant, half-demon Inuyasha.

"I… guess," he stumbled over his simple two words as his eyes avoided hers, "just get your--" before he finished her arms pried under his to give him a… hug? He froze up right away, she was, "wh-what are you doing?"

"I'm so glad to see you because your future self is so strange and constantly tries to sexual assault me," was what she thought about saying but instead she just smiled and hugged him tighter before taking a step back with a shrug. Right when she looked at him her smile faded, he had the strangest expression… did it bother him that much that she might like him enough to want to give him a hug every once and a while? It's not like _she_ was trying to steal a kiss from _him_.

A laugh almost broke out when she thought about the look that would arise if she ever told him how often his future-self kissed her.

"You smell…"

"Inuyasha," she sizzled with clenched fists.

"No," he sped before she said the dread word he could just feel was coming, "I mean you smell _weird_ like… me… but like Sesshomaru, too."

"Huh?" She titled her head ever so slightly to the side, "Sesshomaru isn't here."

"It's not his scent, it's a hybrid between the two, has something happened?" It was defiantly a demon scent but he was sure there weren't any in her world. That was why he didn't worry about her getting into any trouble while she was in her own era.

"Uh, oh," Shrio's scent… 'well, it's your scent after you use the shikon no tama to become a full demon and live for five hundred years' seemed to be what she should tell him but there was just something that snatched up her tongue before she could, "nothing's happened. I'll go get my bag and tell everyone goodbye then I'll meet you at the well, OK?"

"Alright," he wirily replied with a narrowed gaze, "Kaede just made a stew so I'm just going to head back, you'll be there shortly, yeah?"

"Yep, I just need to pack my bag, it shouldn't take more than twenty minutes," she nodded before heading off to her house like, somehow, he understood the concept of a 'minute'.

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

Is that how they acted? He stiffened up like a tree as soon as she wrapped her arms around him, did he always do that? He had learned centuries ago how to hide his presence, his aura, his scent, so he couldn't hold it against himself that his past self didn't notice him hiding just out of sight watching the odd scene.

Kagome defiantly had a thing for him, he could tell that without a doubt but why'd he act so weird? He had a troubled childhood; he couldn't remember any specifics but knew that was true, so was that why he didn't necessary rejected her but didn't embrace her, either? After he was sure his past self had gone through the well he wondered out of his hiding place, something struck him right as he walked under the sacred tree that's leaves had all fallen from the chill…

_A pulsing feeling coursed through him, _his hand grasped his head lightly as he closed his eyes…_ he was surrounded by trees and shrubbery, it was night, when he opened his eyes Kagome was right in front of him. No, Kikyou… wait, that wasn't Kikyou--she smelled alike but they didn't appear the same. She got irked when he called her that, there was something wrapped around them that pinned him to the tree, a bug… a centipede. _

"_Pull the arrow out and I can save you," was something similar to what he said, but pull what out? He glanced at her hand as she yanked an old arrow from his chest. A blur of events followed in a series of static flashes, he ripped them free, the shikon no tama appeared, he went after her for it, a burst of beads spun about his neck, he heard 'Sit', slammed to the ground…_

_When he looked up they weren't anywhere near the tree, there was a desecrated land, the sky was thick with purple smog. Weakly, he got up, pain surged through his entity, it took him a moment or two to lock onto the closet living thing but… she wasn't living, she was on the hard, dirt, ground, her body tattered and torn, her uniform ruined, her eyes opened but with a haze of white over them as blood smothered he dirty, bruised, face._

His eyes shot open, he shouldn't be surprised that he was back because he knew he had never left. His breath was irregular, a sweat almost broke, but he was able to recover his cool façade as he walked away from that tree and around the house. He just knew that the top window that had it's light on was her room, with a light jump he grabbed the window seal and pried open the unlocked window to startle her near death.

With a light shriek she leaped onto her bed and grabbed her heart, "don't do that!" Now that _was_ a very Inuyasha trait.

"Sorry," he shallowly replied as he slid through the opening, "you should really lock that."

"Go _away_," Kagome demanded before throwing the first pink, lacey pillow right at his face.

"I refuse to let you go back," he countered as he caught the pillow and set it down on her desk, "I remember something."

"I don't really care right now," she stated with folded arms, still a little tart that he had tried something so vulgar with her such a short while ago, "I'm leaving so go away."

"I don't remember exactly what happened," he murmured before leaning against the edge of her desk, "the land was dead and barren… misaim poisoned the air… I was hurt, weakened, but able to get up and find…" his gaze moved from the floor to her as he, too, folded his arms but not out of stubbornness like her. It sparked something in her right away…

He looked so earnest, Inuyasha never spoke like that, so calmly, so simply. He never had such a look of calm chaos clouding his eyes; he never looked at her like… she had to look away. It was like he was looking straight through her.

"I found you in the mist… Kagome," he whispered and waited until she meekly looked back at him, "Kagome… you were… I," he took a breath, "failed to protect you."

Dead. She was dead, that had to be what he meant. It was such a surreal feeling, almost an out of body experience, being told about her future death. That would, sadly, explain that. Why he'd chose to be a demon instead of staying the way he was, with a swallow she inquired, "how did I…?"

If she was clever she'd accuse him of lying, of trying to keep her there but… she didn't believe that'd be true intelligence, it'd just be her being untrusting. She had faith in Inuyasha, she trusted Shiro enough to believe his wavering eyes. It was only because that expression that was always hidden in his eyes, that always spoke to her and that, came to the surface completely as he told her of what he recalled that she believed him.

"I'm not sure, I remember meeting you now, and a centipede demon was involved, right? I was pinned to the tree by an arrow, I thought you were Kikyou," he murmured the end as he hopped up to sit on her desk and let his hands fall to his knees.

"You remember," she hid a choke, "Kikyou?" But not her? He could remember a love form five decades before she met him but he couldn't remember her? The priestess had passed, nobly, in his arms, he loved her, cried for her, cherished her… It was the worst quality of her, but even then she was jealous of the woman, forever she'd have such a hold on him. Kikyou was his first love, the first to accept him for who he really was, and even five hundred years later he still remembered that? Still appreciated it?

"The name sparks something," a twig in his chest, a pull, a tug of guilt. Just like the name 'Kagome', it was something he knew he _should_ know but didn't really. "Can't say I remember her, I just know I called you by her name when we first met."

"I'm her reincarnation, you two were… close," she couldn't say anything about the romantic attachment they shared, she just couldn't… "then Naraku deceived you two into betraying each other. She pinned you to the tree under false pretense for fifty years, I freed you and you saved me. We went on a journey not too long after that to collect the jewel shards, Kikyou was brought back from the dead… you two figured out Naraku was behind it all then we went on a search for both the jewel shards and Naraku."

"Naraku," he mused before closing his eyes and nodding, that name still brought a seeping, sizzling, hatred up into his heart but that wasn't what mattered right then. "Kagome, please don't go back. All my time would be wasted if you go back and only get killed."

"Inu…" she barely even spoke before slowly getting up, "Shi…ro, you're waiting for me right now in feudal era—"

"Believe me when I say I'm doing myself a favor," he cared about her, even if he tensed up from a hug, he could still tell that Kagome meant a great deal.

"Let me go there and explain this to you, then," she requested as their eyes met, "I'll be back after that."

"No," he protested plainly, winning from her a cocked brow, "I'm not sure if fate can be altered. Maybe your destined to die there, maybe I can't change what's going to happen, maybe I'll always use the shikon no tama to become a demon only to meet you five hundred years later and to lose you all over again…" the truly daunting thought of it all twisted his mind into utter, inescapable, confusion, "but I don't think that I should ever know the past me and he should never hear of me."

"But—"

"Sorry," he murmured to himself as he caught her falling body. He know the exact spot to hit to knock anyone out right away, she'd probably have a bit of a sore spot for a day or two but it was for her own good. She'd just never accept what he had to do...

{xoxoxoxoxoxo}

It was the smallest of chilled breezes that brushed against her face to wake her. Not too long after her eyes focused on her naturally lit room did the memories of the night before flow back enough that she popped up in bed to look at the sun shined window that was just barely cracked open.

A pulse of pain made her wince as her hand reached to her neck, "ow… how'd that happen?"

She was still in her school uniform but in bed, neatly tucked under the covers that she took no care in throwing off before speeding down the stairs.

"Kagome," her mother brightly called out from the kitchen, "good morning, would you like some breakfast before you return through the well?"

"Hey, aren't you glad it's winter break?" Souta cheered as he picked up some rice with his fish and soy sauce to chop on.

"It'll be good not having to call you in ever day," her grandpa nodded with a flip of the newspaper.

She had… slept through the night and Inuyasha never bothered to come and get her? That seemed wrong, really, really wrong. He might not get what 'twenty minutes' meant but he knew it wasn't a night and even if thought that was what it meant he'd never ever let her dilly-daddle that long.

"Kagome?" her mother called out as she ran out of the house and to the well hut, threw open the door, and almost tripped down the stairs.

"No," she whispered as her hands grabbed onto the closed shutters… they never sealed up the well like that anymore. She knew before she even tried that she'd never be able to open it no matter how many times she yanked it. It was all because of those strange scrolls that were placed about the wood. She could rip a few of them off yet still not get it open. The chains, that was what really kept it closed. No, no, no... that could not have been the last time she saw him, no, she had to blink away a few tears, "Inuyasha!?"

Damn them. Damn those cursed chains. Not normal chains, not physical chains, they were ghost like. No matter how many times she tried to grasp them she could never ever get a hold of them, never pry them off…

Never open the well.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for the in-depth reviews, they are awesome. I'd like to credit for the idea of Shiro/Inu seeing Past-Inu and Kagome interacting to , originally I didn't think about doing that at all.


	7. Tearful

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Six: Tearful **

"Shiro!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she kicked and slammed at his front door over and over again—letting out all her frustration, all her festering fury onto the first false object she could find. Running helped to let her fumes fade out into the freezing air but even after her sprint, with frozen watery eyes, all the way across Tokyo she still had the energy, the confusion, the hurt, the dread, the pain to smack the door until there were a few clicks and it opened.

Without something to stop her force forward she fell only to be caught, gently, by him.

_She leaped out of the well in a yellow dress and fell forward, he caught her, and slowly she looked up at him—_

"What's wrong with you!?" She chocked on her aggravated sobs as she bashed her fist upon his chest time and time again, with each set he took, he backed away from the door leading her with him until he was able to shut the door. He allowed her to continue as many times as it took until she lost the energy, until her hits became meek, slow.

Her sobs filled the room.

How could he? How could he take that from her? Hadn't she agreed to not stay in feudal era? Hadn't she _simply_ asked that he let her go back and say goodbye? It wasn't meant to be forever… she never agreed _never_ to return… was that why he did it?

"Kagome," he soothed but that only sparked her open hand to recoil and strike like a bullet.

It stung. It shouldn't, he was a demon, had lived through hellish attacks, worse pain than any human could grasp, and a human _girl_ slapped him hard enough that it stung? No, he shut his eyes as he took a breath in through his nostril, it didn't really...

"You went to the well, I assume," he began when he was sure she had her fill of violence. It was just those dreadful silent tears that he had to deal with now. He couldn't look at her when she cried, why was she crying? Was it that big of a deal…? So he turned away from her and went to the nearest seat to pick up his usual glass, "want something to drink?"

"I hate you!"

He flinched after he took a drink of the brown liquid, with reluctance he looked over to her; the tears had at least stopped. She meant it, he was sure, he could tell from the bent brows and clenched fists, the red eyes and frost kissed pink cheeks that she really did. Many, thousands upon thousands, hated him throughout his life. It never mattered…

But she shouldn't, she couldn't, "I can't let you go back there only to die."

"I only wanted to say goodbye! Isn't that what I told you!? Isn't it!?" She repeated without moving a muscle, "why'd you do it!?"

"Yes, that's exactly what you said but how do I know that when you go back you don't die then?"

"I don't care!" She stumped over and snatched that stupid overly expensive crystal glass from his hand and firmly placed her other hand upon her hip, "you take those chains off now! Now! Got it!?"

"You can't make me," he retorted back. His auburn jumbled amber glance flickered between her flustered face and his half-full glass, "settle down, 'cause it ain't happin'."

"I'll never speak to you again if you don't take those chain things off now! Where did you get them anyway?! What _are_ they!?" She sizzled while her grasp tightened on the thick glass; thankfully she wasn't strong enough to break it.

"When you are as old as me you collect some pretty useful relics like those," he mused with a mild grin, "I think those I came across in… the Soviet Union from a bitter little witch."

"It's Russia, asshole," she retorted sharply before taking a swig from his glass. Oh, lord, her eyes almost dropped out of her skull as she choked on the very small amount of liquid that lingered upon her tongue. That awful surge of bitterness was enough to make her hand twitch and glass slip. And the god-awful after-taste that kicked her after the initial tang twisted away was almost enough to make her fall to her knees.

"What?" He snickered a laugh, really, he knew he shouldn't even think it was funny after she just stormed in with her teary tantrum but… that face was enough to make even him let a clinched chuckle out, "it's…" he took a drink, "ah, ops, I picked up the wrong bottle. I like my liquor strong; anyway, when I offered you a drink I didn't mean mine."

It was better that she couldn't answer as he got up and headed to the kitchen, by the time he handed her a glass of orange juice she was in his seat with her hands covering her mouth.

"What _is_ that," she sassed once she finished the entire thing of juice.

"It was supposed to be brandy and coke but I must have grabbed the Everclear," not that they looked anything alike but he had been completely absent minded all mourning so… he'd just blame it on that and not some deeper subconscious event. Really, he ought to have picked up on it when he finished off the first half of the glass but...

"You hungry?"

"Go screw—" she muttered harshly before pressing her lips together, that wasn't her, she didn't say stuff like that, so she just held her breath until the words passed, "no, thank you."

"Let's go get something to eat," he nodded towards the door but she refused to budge, "Kagome!"

"What?!"

"Did you come all this way without a jacket!?" She was still in her uniform, he had just noticed, and it was far too cold for such a skirt or thin white fabric, "you gonna freeze to death!"

"Why do you care so much!?"

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

It was that pathetic expression that sparked her to give in, she should be _beyond_ pissed at him for what he did, for being so stubborn, so 'what I say goes'… for being so _Inuyasha_ but instead she felt bad for causing such a flicker of feeling to cross those already broken off-colored orbs of his that she gave in and let him take her to the closest Chinese restaurant to his condo complex but only on the condition that she wear a very fine, long, charcoal heather colored double-breasted wool coat that 'some girl' had left at his for over a year.

She gave in, she went to the stupid restaurant, but she didn't have to speak a word to him. Instead she simply suckled with her chin upon her folded arms. It was an overly extravagant restaurant with polished black circle tables, a romantic atmosphere, and conveniently tight waitress uniforms. He must have known the people because they greeted him specially and gave him his 'regular' table behind one of the red curtained off areas. It was private… intimate.

"How about this," he began as the waitress served them both a glass of water then the drinks he had ordered, tea for the mute mistress and a special drink for him, "since I met you memories have been slowly creeping back so if you don't talk to me then I probably won't remember what happened… if I don't remember what happened then I'll never be able to let you go back."

That perked her interest but not enough for her to lift her arms off the table or her chin from her arms; she simply glanced up from the center piece to him, "are you saying if we figure out how I die then you'll let me go back…?"

"I'm saying that there's no chance I'm letting you go back if I don't figure it out."

"It's not fair!" She finally sat up and slammed her hands upon the table, "it's not, what if you never remember? Then I'll never get to see the man I love again!"

The… man she loved, he nodded, he figured as much.

"That doesn't mean I love you," she assured rather harshly before she leaned back in her chair and folded her arms and crossed her legs, "because you are _nothing_ like Inuyasha."

"I am Inuyasha," he reminded right when the waitress returned to take their order. Once again, Kagome refused to speak, instead she just like her hazardous hazels stared right through him so he ordered for them.

"Anyway," he began again as soon as he could tell that the woman was out of ear-shot, "I am—"

"I _don't_ care, you are nothing like him," she repeated even firmer, "you are an ass."

"True—"

"I won't forgive you, ever! I don't care if you are saving my life; it's not fair that you get to decide for me what is—!"

"You know what's not fair?" He broke in with a bark, "ever since I remembered that damn scene—the way you looked when you were _dead_—I haven't got a wink of sleep! Each time I close my eyes that's all I see! I wish I never remem…!"

"_I can't sleep…" he murmured as he rolled over onto the couch with his hands onto of his eyes. His head was propped up on something soft, sweet smelling and warm, not the couch... "I can't get that image out of my head. I can't… take it anymore. I don't want to see it anymore. I need it to go away."_

"_I can help," a sultry voice whispered back. He could feel his bangs being lightly fiddled with before those same fingers outlined his face, "do you want to _forget_, Inuyasha? Do you want to sleep again…?"_

"Remem…?" Kagome mocked.

"How come you love a guy that you've never been intimate with?" he spat out and just as he had thought, she lost her voice even though she opened her mouth a few times to reply.

"You… you are a sex driven pervert, you know that, right?" She finally managed to stutter, "you aren't winning any points with me, buddy."

"You love me, I don't need to, I just need to let you cool down," he shrugged.

"No! I love Inuyasha, you aren't Inuyasha!" How many times did she have to say it? Sure he _was_ Inuyasha but not the same Inuyasha, not her Inuyasha, not the one she fell in love with, not the one she longed for, not the one she fantasized about kissing…

Now, thanks to Shiro, that'd never happened. It was enough to zap the strength right out of her.

When her fiery temper died down to a petit pout and a slouched stance he allowed her peace. There was no need to spark another furry of feelings; it was a pathetic silence that took over their brunch.

{xoxoxoxoxoxo}

"It's snowing," she mumbled the moment they stepped outside, both with their hands shoved deep in their pockets. The small crystals that floated down melted the moment they touched her skin, it was one of the natural, simple, pleasures that she loved to indulge in when she had a warm jacket on so she looked up to greet the sky. A smile crossed her natural tinted lips as the flurries continued to fall.

Snow… rain he hated, sunny days he was indifferent towards, cloudy days he preferred, but snow…? Snow was his favorite, he never knew why, but it warmed him inside out. When he glanced over to her and saw the first smile—a genuine one, too—of the day it hit him like the surge of cold wind.

"_Kagome, hurry up," he requested a bit harshly before he slowed down to look back at her._

"_It's freezing! Why do we have to go up in the mountains…?" she whined while she hopped about trying to warm herself, just like her hands tried to bring heart back to her arms, "why did they have to get lost in this type of climate? It's going to snow I just know it!"_

"_Keh," he scoffed before flicking off his red rat haired top to drop on her head, "here, that's why you shouldn't wear that outfit, idiot."_

_White whizzed about, somehow they got into a hut. He sat in the corner as she cuddled in his top right in front of the blazing fire, his eyes were intently fixated upon her as she smiled at the flickering warmth before her. It was always the simple things that made her smile so brightly… _

"_Inuyasha," she glowed once she caught his golden gaze on her, "come over here, you'll catch a cold if you don't warm up."_

_He wouldn't catch a cold but… he'd be more comfortable closer to the flames, he knew it, so he got up and walked over to sit beside her anyway. Promptly she gave him back his top, "you look cold."_

"_You need it more than me, you're just a human," he growled before pushing it back. A fight followed, it was like playing 'keep-away' but eventually she won with a threat of 'S-I-T' and he put it back on. "Now you're cold, 'cause of that ridiculous outfit of yours."_

"_How was I supposed to know we were going to go up into the freezing mountain only to have a blizzard break out?" She countered before scooting closer to him, her hazels once more upon the flames, "you could… hold me… to keep me warm."_

_It was a nearly hushed request and he hesitated to oblige but… he wanted to, it was the perfect excuse, so he closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her. A moment passed before they relaxed into each other, another until he held her tighter, it wasn't until the howling of the wind beating against the abandoned home broke out that she looked up to him, her smile had faded._

_Did she want him to let her—no; when she leaned up to allow their lips to meet he knew she wanted him to pull her closer, so close that they almost meshed together. Hunger drove him to prying open her mouth so that his tongue could invade hers, lick it, twist with it, and outline the roof of her mouth. Even though their kiss had progressed far past gentleness he took tender care in lying her down upon the wooden floor._

_Flawless, she was simply flawless after their initial tangle of tongue, smothering lips, hot breath, loud beating chambers, and stumbling, worried, nervous fingers fiddling with the others clothes ended with both bare. Her eyes were unrelenting, unashamed, but only halfway opened as she looked away so he could let his greedy gaze etch each of her curves and every bit of her bare, _perfect_, pale skin into his memory._

"_Kagome," he whispered before leaning in to kiss her ear, "Kagome."_

"_Inuyasha," she breathlessly gasped when she felt a foreign but highly welcomed sensation purge her body from its former frozen form. She arched towards him as he moved his clawed finger about; she dug her nails into his back when he added another. His thumb played along by fiddling with her most sensitive spot as he quickened his thrusts. _

_His kisses trailed down her neck until they reached her valley. That was when he choice his side to assault, first softly, with just a series of kisses until his textured tongue met her hardened nub. Her breath quickened as he nibbled there. _

"_Inu… yasha!"_ He could still feel the pleasure he got from hearing her cry _his_ name.

"Shiro?" Kagome repeated for the third time before she forced herself to free her hand from its warm haven to push him slightly, "_Shi-ro_?"

"Have we ever been stuck in a home together in the middle of blizzard?" He murmured without looking away from the snow that had gradually begun to gather upon the sidewalk.

"Alone?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"No, why?"

"So I _did_ intercept you before we became intimate," he grinned before starting off again. He was sure, beyond sure, that that would make it easier for her to be purged of the past. If he, Shiro, became her first then she'd have to give up on her first love. It would, really, just be upgrading to the better, newer, version anyway.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?" She ranted. _Intimate?_ The thought made her shiver, with him? Sure, when she was intoxicated she was hindered to make a good decision and his second attempt… she was just so confused, that was it, yeah, she would never… never. "I would never with you!"

"Maybe not me-me," he winked once she caught up with him, "but I just remembered something we did."

A torrent of air filled her lungs, so much so that she choked before covering her ears, "no way!"

"Yep," he assured with closed eyes and a wicked smirk, "now all I have to do is close my eyes and I can see you—"

"No!" She protested, "out of all the things that you could remember _that's_ what you recall!? Pervert!" Somehow she felt covering his eyes would make the image leaving his head, but the smirk didn't cease as her heart beat peeked. They must have made an odd scene, the two standing in the midst of the crowded Tokyo sidewalks. Dread upon her drained self while he couldn't look happier with himself.

"Shiro! Please! You ruined everything for me last night can't you just… just…?"

He could feel her hands slid down his face until her warmth left him entirely, that was when he bothered to force the image away and open his eyes. "Alright, alright," he soothed the girl that was once more near tears, "I think it's only fair. I can't keep remembering only bad stuff."

"Please," she sighed as she tucked her hands under her arms, "please just remember… so I can go back…"

"I don't get why you want to go back there so badly," he grunted with a wrinkled nose, "it's such a primitive time. No heater, no air conditioning, terrible food, poverty, and constant wars? I must have been pretty great at protecting you, because walking around in the outfit you do in such a vice driven era… I don't know how you didn't get rape—"

"Shiro! Is sex really all you think about!?"

"No."

"Figure out how to get me back there!"

"I got it," her heart sank when she saw that greedy grin surface, "you aren't going to like it…"

"What…?" She muttered.

"You should just come and stay with me all of winter break." That'd give him plenty of time to seduce her into submission, if he could get models, movie stars, and princesses he could sure as hell convert a high school girl into loving him over some weaker, poorer, irked former self.

"Never! Never in a thousand years, Shiro!"

For someone who barely ate anything, who spazzed out like none other at his place earlier, she could sure run, damn, she could run... he'd really thought she'd be out of energy by then.

More importantly, why was the bus system always on her side?

{xoxoxoxoxoxo}

"Kagome," he sighed before he opened the door to the little hut that kept the well. "Stop being immature."

"I'm not being immature! I'm mad; I have a right to be!" She countered upon the top of the well, her arms folded, her legs criss-crossed and her stare solely on his. "Tell me, Shiro, what right do you have to keep me from going to see Inuyasha?"

"I _am_ Inuyasha."

"Not the one I want," she murmured, "what if you screw everything up by changing what's meant to happen, huh?" How could he not? The memories that he had of her after her 'intercepted her'—as he so boldly put it—would become false, then. They'd never share their first kiss… never have that moment in the blizzard… never… but was it all worth the prospect of death, though?

"I don't know," he tried his best not to think about it, "but I prefer to think that if I change the past I alter a different dimension's future. I don't want to think that hard about it, anyway."

"You can't just decide you are going to change the past and not think about the consequences!"

"Watch me…" a minute smile crossed his lips before he took a step backwards, "you shouldn't sit like that when you are wearing a skirt. Are those… teddy bear under—"

"Pervert!"


	8. Defend

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Seven: Defend **

All in all it would have been a better idea for her to have actually ate the food that Shiro had ordered for her at the restaurant earlier that day but she didn't know at that point that she was going to start up a silent protest of sitting right on top of the well she wished ever so earnestly to enter just _once_. She just wanted to see him… if she had known that Shiro was going to go berserk then maybe she would have done more than just hug Inuyasha goodbye. Nothing vulgar, mind you, nothing that _Shiro_ would do. A simple, sweet, speedy peck on the lips would have been more than adequate.

Inuyasha, her Inuyasha, the one she grew to know so well and cherish, would have been more than satisfied—or was it shocked?—with just that. She highly doubted unsavory thoughts flocked within his thick skull. All the high school boys she'd ever met? Yes. Miroku? Oh, most certainty. Shiro? Shamelessly. But Inuyasha? No, she really didn't think that he thought about that even when he did catch her naked in a hot spring sometimes.

Oh lord, she shut her eyes and snorted out a sigh, look what Shiro's done to her. She never thought about such matters before he appeared … a shiver crept down her spine at the thought of _that_ man. That horrid, hasty demon. What right did he have to seal off the well? OK, great, he waited five hundred years for her—she was sure under different circumstances she'd be grateful—but he barely remembered her and positively didn't love her. And, most importantly, he wasn't the right Inuyasha. People change, five hundred years would alter anyone, but that didn't mean she had to accept it.

As far as she was concerned they were two completely separate beings.

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

The growling refused to stop so when the night gradually began to take the sky she slid off the cold splintering wood and walked back to her home. She needed a nice, relaxing, hot bath and a good home cooked meal to rekindle her ranging spirit. The chill had begun to nip at her an hour prior but her stubborn mind refused to let her give in even though Shiro had left after she threw a piece of wood at him for his improper comment—noonish, then?

"Mom, I'm home," she called out as she walked in through the kitchen's entrance and kicked off her shoes.

"Oh, Kagome," her mother replied cheerfully, "you have a guest."

"I do…?" She murmured before she looked up to the table. Right away her tired body tensed up and she was sure her brow began to involuntarily twitch.

"Hi, Kagome," Shiro greeted with a gentlemanly grin as he lifted his hot tea to her with a nod, all the while with her mother sitting right next to him with the most pleasant of smiles.

"He's been waiting all day for you to come home," her mother explained as she got up and headed towards the stove to take off whatever stew she had been working on, "what a sweet boy he is," she whispered to her daughter who had wirily walked over to get a cup of hot tea to warm her chilled self.

"Mom," she hushed. That stupid bastard had been there the entire time? Inside her warm home, drinking her mother's best tea and chit-chatting away with her while she nearly _froze_ to death outside try to make a point? That was simply unforgivable.

"Shiro, will you stay for dinner?" Her mother beckoned.

"No," Kagome mouthed firmly with a swift shake of her head right out of the eye sight of her mom.

"I would love to, thank you," he contradicted with another charming smile, "you are too kind."

"Would you mind going to get Souta and grandpa for me?"

"Not at all," he assured as he got up before exiting the room.

He… he met her brother and grandpa? What the hell!?

"Kagome," her mother glowed like the sun on the brightest day while she placed her hand upon her daughter's shoulder, "I'm so proud of you!"

"You… are?" She choked; the gods only knew what nonsense Shiro had spouted to her. She could feel her stomach knot up at the multitude of dreadful schemes... what if he played himself off as some amazingly well off entrepreneur that wanted to wed her..? Eh, please no.

"He is such a nice boy," she kept up with a nod as she began to set the table.

"M-Mom! I'm not dating him or anything!"

"Oh, sweetheart, I know," her mother laughed lightly, "he's your tutor. I'm so proud that you took the initiative to get some help with your school work. I have complete faith in your abilities with the aid of such a smart and studious boy. It's so kind of him to be doing this as volunteer work, too, so it costs nothing. I didn't know your school had such a program. And to get a tutor who attends Tokyo U? He'll be able to help you with your college entrance exams!

"And you are going to start studying for them this winter break? I'm so glad, Kagome, you have no idea what a relief it is that you are going to take a break from going back to the feudal era… aren't you? Or did you schedule all of this with Shiro just to ditch him and return…?"

It was like the air stiffened into a wall and slammed down upon her already heavy head. That rat bastard had picked the _perfect_ lie! She couldn't counter it, she couldn't tell her mom 'no, sorry, I'm content with failing all my course and never getting into a good college—if I can even get into _any_ college' or 'wait, no, he's a terrible tutor' because he _went_ to the top university in all of Japan! She couldn't break her mom's hopeful heart like that so she bit her tongue and forced a smile as she sat down at her regular seat. She would be the first in her family to attend college… she couldn't tell her mother she didn't want to or _couldn't_. Her parents had sacrificed so much for her throughout her life…

"No, mom, I decided to stay over winter break and study," she finally murmured.

"You have no idea how much that warms my heart," oh, but she did, she hadn't seen her mother radiate with such joy since...? Since she started making regular visits through the well. Her mom was... well, her mother, she couldn't like the idea of her daughter running around the anarchy that was the feudal era. She tried her best not to but she had noticed the new wrinkles written on her mother's face. Sleepless nights had to haunt her.

"Kagome!" Souta shouted before he ran into the kitchen and pulled up a seat next to her, "that Shiro guy's really cool. He can get to level _ten_ on Armageddon in Stalingrad! He goes to Tokyo U, too!"

"Yeah, he's great," she grunted with narrowed hazel slits locked onto the supposed 'god-student' as he escorted her grandpa to his seat then, with a bit of a smirk he took the last open seat right next to her. "I hate you," she whispered low enough that only his superb ears could hear.

"For now," he corrected.

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

"Seriously, Shiro, go jump off a cliff!" She ordered once they were safely in her room to 'study' for the college entrance exams.

"You can call me 'Inuyasha', you know."

"Never," she sizzled then harshly yet quietly declared, "you completely lied to my mom!"

"How so?"

"_You_ are going to help me study for the college entrance exams? _You_ are some tutor that's going to help me with all the classes I'm failing at? _You_," she laughed without humor, "go to Tokyo U?"

"None of that's a lie," he declared as he sat down at her desk and folded his arms upon his chest, "I can help you study for your classes and the college entrance exam. I didn't say I currently went to Tokyo U, I told your mom I attended it. It's her fault for misunderstanding that as 'I'm still there'."

"How could you help me study? How," she awed with shaking fists, "could you get ever go to Tokyo U?"

"I get bored so I enroll in school sometimes; I read a lot too, so it wasn't hard for me to pass the entrance exam. I only got a degree before getting bored of that place."

"A degree in _what_?" She mocked before plopping down on her bed and, finally, taking off the jacket he had given her that morning.

"Nuclear physics," he couldn't help but chuckle from the way her eyes budged at that, "kidding, kidding, it was something about history or folklores. It was a while back."

"You aren't funny, Shiro," she sassed, "I'm not going to study with you. I'm not going to see you ever again until you—"

"Aw, but, Kagome," he playfully pouted, "wouldn't that break your mother's heart? After I told her I would help you ever Tuesday and Thursday here and how you'd come to mine to study on Sunday?"

"I hate you!" She shrieked, "you, you, _you_—!"

"Brilliant and dashing man?" He guessed with such a grin, the type that only made her fume more as her hands clenched her covers into a ball, "just give up. I'll always win."

"This isn't a game! This is _my_ life that you are just prancing all over!" She wanted to go see Inuyasha, she wanted to go back and forth between eras, she wanted to make sure her friends were alright, she couldn't just leave Shippou, and what if… what if something happened to them while she was away? What if she could have stopped it? Anxiety festered in the midst of her chest with each beat of her frayed heart.

"What if I die protecting someone I love?" She inquired, loosening up as she spoke with her eyes pinned to the ground, her lips half shut, "huh, Shiro? What if by dying I save someone I love? What if I'm not there everyone I love gets hurt or…"

"It's not like you're going to know, so I don't see why you should bother yourself by thinking like that," Shiro countered only to have a small heart-shaped white pillow flung into his face.

"You are heartless! How could you say that?! What if _you_ die because I'm not there, huh?" She nearly sobbed. She was a crier, she cried when she was anger, sad, or happy but not too terribly often it was just… Shiro stressed her out too much and she had gotten an awful amount of sleep the night before and couldn't remember the last time she properly bathed—not to mention she was almost sure she got a cold from her futile protest.

"I'd rather die, then," he guaranteed without any sort of hesitation. That got her, not that he had meant for it to affect her in any way since he was simply stating a fact—seven hundred years of living was somewhere close to three hundred too many.

"Please… leave for tonight," she whispered, "I want to just have a peaceful night and rest up."

"Fine. Don't do anything stupid, Kagome."

{xoxoxoxoxoxo}

"Don't do anything stupid, Kagome," she mocked with a wrinkled nose. Her hands were clenched so tightly around her purse strap that it was sure to snap. She was just going to return the coat to him since, even though it was really nice, it was some woman's that Shiro had screwed with and not his to give away or hers to keep. She wasn't even going to go all the way up to his condo; she'd just leave it with the guy at the front desk. That way she wouldn't have to see him until Sunday… actually, she could just tell her mom she was going over to Shiro's and not—no, wait; Shiro would probably call and inquire about her whereabouts.

"He would," she grunted as her seething hazel stare continued to lock onto the sidewalk that became asphalt. That man… was the worst thing to happen.

"Oh my god!" A woman whaled within a symphony of ear-piercing cries, of course, Kagome only heard the first woman's scream before the shrieking skid of breaks became her entire world. Deer were dumb creatures, which was why they just stared blindly at the headlights that rushed towards them…

Did that make her _stupid_, too? Because that was all she could do as the car slid towards her.

Ebony eclipsed her sight as the wind was knocked out of her. Her body jerked backwards abruptly.

"Moron," a whisper echoed about her spinning head.

"Inuyasha…?" With her hands she whipped her waves out of her face to see the stunned looks that were all about her. Young and old all stood still to stare at the girl that had just availed the out of control car that smacked into the light pool.

"_Kagome, Ka-go-me, Kagome?" He panicked as he shook her lifeless, bloodied, body in his arms. Her pretty face was smeared with mud that mingled with the dried red flakes, her head hung limply down, but little caught his attention more than the look in her once joyous eyes. It went beyond empty as the white haze overcame her hazels… slowly his golden gaze moved down to look at her tattered and torn body. Her stomach had a huge open gash that had ceased to bleed; her legs were bruised and scrapped viciously. _

"_No, gods, no… no!"_

"Kagome," he hushed as his arms tightened around her waist that he had grabbed right in time to keep the idiotic girl from getting hit by the car she should have seen coming. He couldn't help but take the short lived opportunity that he had to reaffirm himself with her subtle scent…

"You… are so careless!"

"Shiro!" She sighed before prying his hands away from her so she could turn to stare him right in the eyes, "I'm nowhere near your condo! Where you stalking me!?"

"What?!" He growled back, "it's not stalking when it saves your life! Be grateful! You should be in my debt for this!"

Her mouth shot open right as her legs began to function enough that she could stand up and stare down at him, "your debt!? I wouldn't be out here right now if it weren't for your stupid jacket!"

"My—?" But before he could question her further a gray coat was flung in his face, "what's wrong with you!? I just saved your life!"

"You! Are! A! Stalker!"

"There's a difference between making sure you don't get yourself killed and stalking you!" He protested as he popped up to meet her heated hazels with angered auburns, "you should at least _thank_ me!"

"Thank you for stalking me, Shiro! You perverted, weird, man!"

"P-Perverted?!" What had he done even remotely close to that? It's not like he was watching her bath or anything. He shook before taking a breath in and slowly taming his furry before sighing.

"How come I didn't notice you, huh? You _are_ a demon and I _can_ sense them," she stated in a matter of fact tone.

"I figured out how to mask my aura, obviously, you moron," he snapped back between clinched teeth, "let's take this conversation somewhere private, people are staring at us."

"What? You don't want people hearing that you are a _stalker_!?"

"Kagome, stop saying that!"

"Shiro—"

"This is the thanks I get for making sure you are OK?! For saving your goddamn life!? For worrying about you!?" He barked before shoving the useless coat back into her chest, "screw you, Kagome, I hope you learned your fucking lesson this time because if a car tries to kill you on your way home I will _not_ be there to save you!"

It _actually_ seemed like him might have slapped her if he hadn't tensed him and turned around, disappearing far too quickly in the stalk of staring bystanders…

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

"Shiro!" She called out once more with the same three beat knock on his overly zealous front door, "Shi-ro! Shi-ro! Shi-ro! I'm going to start shouting embarrassing things if you don't answer this door!"

Still only silence surrounded her before she took a breath in, "Shiro, you _did_ know I was under age, right!? I did tell you I was only—!?"

"Stop it!" Shiro beckoned after he finally opened the door, "knock it off! My neighbors already think I'm annoying with all the…" he cleared his throat before straightening his stance, "what do ya' want? If you are going to just yell leave."

"Here," she pouted before pushing a pink paper box in his chest. It took some time before he stopped just staring at her firmly fixed face after close to a minute and moved his gaze down to the box, reluctantly he took it from her and stepped aside so she could enter, "it's a 'thank you' gift. I was… in shock after that so… I might have been a little harsh…"

"Cupcakes," he observed after opening the top, "a variety pack."

"I don't know what type you like, I was kind of tempted to get you a box of ramen but I'm guessing you are prettying sick of that stuff, huh?" She smiled rather sweetly as she spun around to look at him, her hands folded behind her back, "I brought the jacket, too."

"I see that," he murmured, it was slung over her arm. At least today she finally wore something appropriate for the chilly weather; a pair of jeans, boats, and a red wool petticoat.

"I'm sorry I yelled but… you shouldn't stalk me, either," she kept up before taking a few steps forward; he met each of hers so they were only a few inches apart. "Apologize."

"What?" He scoffed, "for saving your life!? No!"

"No," she shook her head lightly, "for stalking me."

"I'm not stalking you," he countered.

Her soft smile never left her face as she leaned a little bit closer to him, "I suppose… I can forgive you," it was, after all, a very Inuyasha trait not to say 'sorry' when he should. A teasing smile lifted her lips together before she reached into the box of cupcakes and too a vanilla one with strawberry frosting. "You only do it because you care," she asserted with the cupcake in front of her mouth, "right?"

That's got to count for something... right?


	9. Do Novo

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Eight: Do Novo **

"Shi-ro!" Kagome shouted before smacking him in the face, she even cringed after she saw what she had completely and utterly mistakenly done. "Y-you, it's your fault, seriously, can't you keep your hands to yourself?"

"I was just grabbing the remote!" Shiro screamed while he jiggled the remote before her which she promptly stole. At least then he could whip he face free of the cupcake that she had smeared onto him. She _really_ couldn't have forgotten that she was holding a forth of a cupcake in her hand, so, he knew she did it on purpose. "I barely even touched you and that's _only_ because the remote was in between the cushion beside you!"

"Don't change the channel," she altered the subject entirely. There was no need to linger on the cupcake fiasco. Besides, she never watched TV but the stupid reality show that he had allowed to be on his plasma for the past fifteen minutes caught her attention, shamefully. Reality TV was truly the embodiment of all that was wrong with humanity; Shiro had made a point at murmuring that at least ten times. She didn't disagree but she couldn't help it, the people were being so ridiculous that it was too amusing. Everyone was allowed their dirty little pleasures.

"Don't you want me to stay?" She inquired, "I mean, you did make such a scene when I said I was going—"

"Whatever," she was a high schooler after all… he grunted a curse to himself as he got up off the couch—which she made a point to sit a cushion away from him, he noticed—and got himself a glass of a little something to make the show easier to bear, and a napkin to get off the rest of the cupcake. "So, I think you are starting to hate me less and like me more," he taunted once he returned to sit on the arm of the couch farthest from her. Granted, smearing a cupcake in his face wasn't something he put under a 'like' list but she had agreed to stay at his for a while.

"It could easily be temporary, ya' know, you did save me today. If you stop stalking me I'd hate you less," she stated without once taking her eyes away from the television.

"I'm not stalking you, would you stop saying that? Once, _once_, I made sure you were OK because you were so warn out last night. It's a good thing I did, too."

"You know what goes better with cupcakes?" Kagome dragged out as she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Not having them thrown in your face?"

"_Milk_."

"You'd know, how many of those have you—?"

"If you knew anything about girls you'd know not to finish that sentence," she asserted with pressed lips. He did save her, he did… so, she'd let that one go. "Shiro… I've been wondering this for a while, where do you get all your money?"

"Good investments, I've had a lot of bad ones too but the good ones were _really _good. I've won the lotto twice and odd jobs," he shrugged as he slid down the arm of the couch to bump down on the cushion.

"Odd jobs?" She noted wirily, "what type of odd jobs?"

"Odd jobs," he waved the topic off but, unfortunately, she had to fight him on almost everything.

Quickly and completely she turned to look square at him, "_what_ type of odd jobs?"

"_Why_ does it matter?" He snapped back while he twisted halfway to meet her and drape an arm across the back of the couch.

"Because perverted behavior can be redeemed," Miroku was proof of that, "but something like, I don't know, _murder_," she harshly stressed, "isn't."

"Yeah, Kagome, you got me, I'm a hit man for hire," he mocked as he folded his arms and turned to face the TV again, "sometimes the Russian mafia calls me up, other times it's the Yakuza, then there is _always_ the Italians—"

He was an ass, another very Inuyasha trait, she had to admit that but somehow that didn't warm her yearning heart. "Then why won't you tell me what 'odd jobs' means?"

"It's just a bunch of random shit," he kept up before getting up, "I'm going to bed, you staying?"

She just gawked a gasp and got up to edge towards the door at the very idea.

"Yeah, Kagome," he grumbled, "that's how I like to invite a girl to bed with me." Come on, he had more skill than that, not that any of that so called skill had helped him get anywhere with her.

"I'm never staying here over night," she swore once she reached the coat closet to get her red petticoat out and pull it on.

"Alright," he grunted as he reached by her to get his jacket out. She jumped and he hadn't even touched her, he was just _near_ her, what the hell? Why did she have to be like that? And why did she keep calling him 'Shiro'? Yeah, he had been called that for a few years now but shouldn't she call him 'Inuyasha'. He. Was. Inuyasha. They were lovers-to-be, so shouldn't she be more comfortable around him, too?

_It seemed to be involuntarily but, regardless, she flinched with one hand clinched in front of her heart. Right away her brows dropped as her other hand reached out to take the hand that had just tried to touch her shoulder, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"_

"_It's fine, whatever," he scoffed back, retracting the hand swiftly and completely from her grasp._

_Kagome took a step closer as she slowly reached her hands out to him, "Inuyasha, you know I—"_

"_Drop it, Kagome," he demanded before looking away from her and to the moonless night sky._

"_It's not your fault—"_

"_I said drop it!" He shouted harsher and louder than he had intended. When he finally dared to turn his attention back to her she was mute and meek but her eyes kept pleading for him to understand. He did. He got it. He—_

"_I _know_ you'd never hurt me, _never_, no matter what," she swore as he took a step forward to grab his human hands, "even if you are in your demon form. Even if you don't remember who I am, I will always trust you."_

_He tried to say something but couldn't, what was there to say? He wanted to argue with her, tell her how stupid that was, that she shouldn't feel that way. That if he ever forgot her when he turned into that monstrous demon she should run and quickly at that. But… he never wanted Kagome to run from him._

_That's why he took no care in trying to pretend that when she wrapped her arms around his chest that he didn't want to hold her back just as hard. That he didn't want to bury his face into her soft ebony waves and inhale her scent that he knew so well even with just a human nose. _

"_Kagome," he murmured as she broke away only enough to look up at him and smile. She always smiled when he needed her to. He kissed her for that and she kissed him back._

He shook his head, "what do you think I'm going to do? Molest you?"

Her hazels simply narrowed on him in responds.

That he couldn't even find a clever reply to so he gave up and grunted a sigh, why'd she have to think like that? "I'm gonna walk you home, I promise not to try anything."

"I know my way home and I plan to take the subway—"

"Kagome," he softly said, which finally got her to stop giving him that 'I'm-warning-you' look, "I am walking you home."

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

"You can't always be here for me, you know?" Kagome brought up once they got on the subway, she got a seat in the crowded cart while he chose to stand in front of her with a hand grasping the pole above his head. "Maybe you can't change when a person is supposed to pass, maybe even if I'm not in the past—"

"Why would you even say such a thing?" He murmured after his heavily lids allowed themselves to find peace.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," he just hadn't really slept since he met her, even demons needed their shut eye and over the past few years he had gotten plenty of it because… well, he hadn't much to do. Now each time he closed his eyes an image of her, a bloody battered her, would pop up. Not now, thankfully, even though there was no way he'd fall asleep right then.

"Seriously, Shiro—"

"Can't you call me by my real name?" He sighed as he weakly opened his lids to meet her hazel beauts.

Her eyes glanced away, "no," it was such a low whisper that she wasn't even sure that his super sense of hearing had caught it. When she finally glanced up to the silent Shiro he wasn't even looking at her anymore, his wrong colored ambers were fixated on the blackened window behind her. Did it hurt his feelings somehow that she refused to call him by the name of her love? She doubted it but…

{xoxoxoxoxoxo}

"I'm safe," Kagome announced, "happy?"

A weak nod was all she'd get from him as they stepped off the final stair to be in view of her home. Thoughtless motions led him to the hut; he could feel her eyes intently on his back as he opened the door and entered the darkened pit. Echoed creaks of the stairs followed each of his, she was right behind him, and he knew it as he grabbed at one of the ghost-like-chains.

To her surprised, even though she ought not to be, his hand could actually _grasp_ the see-throw things.

"Please try to understand why," he tried to begin but lost all motivation to finish. He couldn't explain what he couldn't find words for. It was just an unrelenting need to keep her from that world, from the drama, the wars, the demons, and… that scene. That tattered land.

"I guess… I could," 'try' being the optimum word there. She could try anything, she could try to fly but that doesn't mean she wouldn't just end up breaking a few bones instead. "If you try and understand that you are… making _my_ choice for me. I should be the one to decide."

"No," he retorted rather harshly, abruptly letting the chain go to thud against the wood in a strange wooshing thud.

"_No_?" Kagome coaxed. Her glove covered hand grabbed at his shoulder and tried to get him to turn to look at her but it was no use, he didn't budge a bit.

"Dying is easy," he scoffed, "dying is a release. Living is the hard part."

"What's that mean?" She snickered but that malice left when he finally took a step to the side to look at her. That look that was wrongly within his eyes from the first moment they met was… out, again. What was it?

"You'd pick jumping through that well the second I open it for you," he knew it, she knew it, too, that's why her eyes averted him so swiftly. "Because you love m—him, _believe_ me when I tell you I'm saving my—him by doing this. You get to die, Kagome, who knows what comes after it's all said and done but I'm the one that's got to find a way to keep going."

He took a breath that turned to a fog of mist once it was released, he stepped by her and up the stairs, "I guess… I should say sorry, anyway, I'm being selfish. Go home, Kagome," he requested once he reached the door and stopped to linger halfway in, "what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Hanging out with some school friends," she distantly murmured. It was pointless but she still reached out to touch one of the chains with her hand, just like each time before she only ended up feeling the wood beneath them.

"Will you call me while you're out with them? I won't 'stalk'," he jested, "you, if you promise to do that."

"I don't have a cell phone," and she didn't know his number.

"What? How can you not—?"

"I'm barely here," she stated while she turned around to look up at him, "I'm not going to get killed tomorrow. I'm probably just going to go see a movie, that's safe, right? I'll be with a group of girls so the chances that I'll get run over by a rouge car is slimmer, and—"

"Fine, just stay safe, alright?"

Stay safe, that's… strange. The way he said it, it was almost difficult for him to but she knew he meant it. Five hundred years would be wasted if she died, at least he must think so. That didn't change the fact that she would jump through that well the second she got the chance to… for the most part.

{xoxoxoxoxoxox}

"You… are?" Kagome tried her best to hide her gawking but… well, she failed miserably as her hands wrapped around her drink.

"Is that OK with you?" Ayumi asked half-heartily while her slender fingers flipped a few fries around on her tray.

"Yes, I'm happy for you," truly, completely, happy. If Ayumi and Hojo dated then she'd never have to deal with him, not that he wasn't a nice guy and everything but he'd never be _the_ guy for her.

"Shiro," Sachiko brought up after the initial awkward silence faded, "are you dating him? What university does he go to?"

"Oh, right, that guy," Eri chimed in from across the table, "he was kind of odd… hot, but odd."

"He _is_ odd," they had no idea. Then again, to them she would be really weird—how many people could travel through time by jumping through an old well on their family property?

"But…?" Sachiko smiled, "come on, you are telling me you don't like him at—?"

"Not really, not like that at least." Love? Shiro? No. Inuyasha? Absolutely. Actually, they were one and the same but… not, is that really what she makes him into? Because she dies he transforms into that type of man? Not that, really, Shiro was terrible-terrible. The more time she spent with him the less he tried anything but that didn't change the look he had in his eyes, the lifestyle he had chosen, or his blatant alcoholism. Was it in the end her fault entirely?

"I bet he doesn't attend a university, does he?" Michiko put in, "he just don't look the time. He looks like a—"

"He graduated from Tokyo U," she spat out quickly and just as hastily regretted it but—she sighed as she sat back in her chair—she got the feeling Michiko was going to say something not-so-nice about him. Even though she constantly ridiculed him, which he deserved fully, that didn't mean someone _else_ could. It was… like her little brother, she could say whatever her heart pleased about how bothersome Souta was but the second someone else did she would get offended and jet in to defense mode. Wait, did she really just compare Shiro to Souta? She literally had to shake the thought from her mind.

"_Graduated?_" Eri honed in on the word that all the others had, too, "_how_ old is he then?"

"I don't know," and that was the honest truth, who did? She would bet a hundred thousand yen that not even he could answer that.

"He doesn't look more than twenty," Sachiko deciphered after a long pause.

"Yeah, is he some kind of super genius?" Michiko inquired.

"I don't know, can we not talk about him?" Need he be the center of her existence? No.

"Alright, Kagome," Eri nodded, all the while keeping her slightly narrowed eyes upon her friend.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"That was a lame movie," Eri yawned, "those two shouldn't have gotten together at the end."

"I don't know, I thought it was kind of sweet," Sachiko countered with a small shrug, "you know what they say, love finds a way."

"No way," Michiko butted in, "Hachiko and Hiro did not belong together. Their personalities were way off, and, come on, that ending? How many times has that been done? It was so cliché. What'd you think, Kagome?"

"Opposites sometimes attracted," she would know. Inuyasha and her were nothing alike yet they still formed feelings for each other.

"That's a bunch of crap," Eri exclaimed with a bit of a 'hmph', "opposites might attract but they'd never work out."

"True," Sachiko nodded.

"You guys go ahead to the mall," Kagome murmured, "I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

"Why?" They inquired but she was already moving along with the other bulk of bodies.

"Shiro," she sighed as she pushed his shoulder, "what'd I say about stalking me?"

"I'm not, I just found you," he growled back. Before she got a chance to say something else that was sure to be annoying he dangled a bag in front of her face, which caught her attention enough that she let whatever was on the tip of her tongue go.

"Is that for me?" She inquired as she took the bag and looked inside, "why'd you get me this?"

"'Cause you said you didn't have one," he said with a 'duh' like tone, earning himself a quick glare from her as she pulled the three or so inch box out of the bag.

"I can't accept this," she stated even though she very much wanted to. Everyone, _everyone_, had a cellular. She got nothing but angst from all her friends for not having one but she wasn't in her own era enough to really use it, it would just be a waste of money each month but… she did really want it. From the image on the box it looked like a nice phone, too.

"Consider it your birthday gift," he requested.

Her hazels flickered up to him as she cocked her head ever so slightly to the side, "my…?"

"Don't tell me you forgot that your own birthday is right around the corner," he teased with a smirk, "your brother warned me the other day."

"It is, isn't it?" She mused while she flipped the box over in her hand, "well… if that's the case I'll take it but I'm going to pay for the monthly—"

"How?" He had to stop the idiocy before she could fully develop it, "you don't have a job. You're a student."

"But—"

"I got plenty of money to spare, don't worry about it. It's a S001 by Sony. I already programmed the phone, too," he pointed out as he took the box from her and opened it, "my number's in here so if you get yourself into trouble you can just call me, alright? This way I don't have to 'stalk' you."

"We are in Tokyo, it's not New York or something, why is it that you think I'm going to get into some sort of trouble all the time?" She scoffed as she snatched the phone away. The only number in her new contact list was 'Inuyasha' which she promptly edited to 'Shiro'.

"Yeah, whatever, I just get the feeling that I had to save your sorry ass all the time before," and when she flinched a bit from that accusation he knew it was right.

"Is the camera on this phone good?" She inquired as she examined her new toy closer; it was a pink rectangle that slid up vertically to show the keyboard and when she flipped it over there was a place that read 'cyber-shot' that could be slid away to expose the camera lenses. Wasn't it sad that she was a teenager and never texted before in her life?

"Yeah." The sales clerk that helped him out was in his early twenties so he figured that guy knew what teenagers wanted most in a phone. He had also been assured by the sales clerk that his eighteen year old girlfriend adored the S001, so he bought it for Kagome.

"OK, then let me take a picture of you," she smiled after she pressed the 'camera' button but before she was able to take one he shoved his hand over the phone, "Shiro! Come on."

"I hate getting my picture taken," living forever made such things a hassle. It was so simpler to move through time before videos, cameras, and the rest of those devices were created.

"Fine," she pouted and pulled her phone from his grasp, "but…" she began once his hands were stuffed into his jacket. She smiled as she moved to his side and threw an arm around his neck, all the while holding her new phone out in front of them to snatch a shot.

"Kagome," he growled but she backed away before he could do anything.

"You look surprised," she giggled as she flipped the phone around to show him the picture, which he promptly tried weakly to snatch away. If he really wanted to he could, she was sure, "just let it go."

"You are acting like a flirt, Kagome."

"I am so not flirting with you, just testing out my new phone," she stated stiffly. Kagome Higurashi did not flirt; she had never done so in the past and never really planned on starting. Was it her that the men misinterpreted her actions? No.

"You—"

"I got to go," she cut him off, "my friend will be wondering where I went. Thanks for the phone, I'll see you later." She waved before running off towards the mall.

{xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo}

Was she starting to… like him? Shiro the strange? Yes, there was no denying it; she had a soft spot for him. Not love, never would she love him, but maybe… like. Yeah, she just liked him. Not that much, she wouldn't really call him a 'friend' but… then why was she in front of his home again knocking on the door instead of heading home after her day out?

"Shiro?" She called out, why did it always take so long?

"Shiro is out," a lull of a voice declared as the door opened up.

Kagome lost her breath as she stared at the woman before her, she was... beautiful. Probably the most attractive looking woman she had ever seen in person and she looked so… mature. She looked—why was there a tug at her heart?—just like Kikyou, really. But a modern Kikyou with long luscious locks of midnight colored hair in a ruby red sweater dress.

"Who are you?" She inquired as her condescending chocolates moved about Kagome.

"Never mind!" Kagome cried out before spinning around and running down the stairs.

She should have known… old dogs don't learn new tricks.


	10. Double

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Nine: Double **

Idiot, idiot, idiot… _idiot_, not him, that was just him being normal Inu—no—Shiro. It was her fault for thinking that somehow he had changed but she was just a girl—a _high_ school girl, he mentioned that often—so why would that alter how he had function for hundreds of years? Not that she wanted to change it, she wanted to go back to feudal era and check on her friends, on the right Inuyasha.

"Kagome?" Shiro muttered mid-way down the stair case. He had to take a step to the side to stop her flustered rush down the staircase.

"Move!" She shouted and took a step to the side; he did the same, so she tried twice more before, "Shiro! Stop!"

"What's wrong?" He asked as he switched his grocery bags around so they were all in one hand, "don't cry."

"I'm not going to cry!" She shrieked, she really wasn't—her eyes weren't hot with tears, there was no water about to creep out, maybe her face was red but that didn't mean she was going to cry over _him_ having some harlot in his home.

"What happened?" He kept up and, again, stepped to the side to keep her from dodging him.

"Let me go, Shiro! First you take away my right to go back and forth between now and the past!? Then you stalk me! And now you won't let me go down the staircase!" Since she was a few steps above him still she kicked him in the chest. Her hasty actions must have caught him off guard enough for him to _almost_ fall down the stairs.

When he caught his footing again he didn't bother to question her any further, instead he just bent down slightly and took a few steps up to swop her off of her feet and over his shoulder. Just like he thought she shrieked and spazzed out to, kicking and hitting him all over the place. Good thing for her she was wearing pants and not a skirt. Nothing sexy, no overly expensive lust red sweater dress like _that_ woman was.

"Kagome!" He shouted once he got to his floor.

"What's going on out here?" His elder neighbor inquired as he stepped halfway out into the hallway to give Shiro the stink eye.

"He's kidnapping me!" Kagome cried out.

Shiro simply shook his head as he dropped her down on the ground, "I am not!"

"Yes you are!"

"Do I need to call the authorities?" The neighbor nagged.

"Yes," she shouted as he countered with a, "no."

"What is wrong with you!?" Shiro kept up as he pulled his keys out and opened his front door, "huh?"

"Nothing! Leave me alone!"

"Inuyasha," a provocative voice greeted, and before either entered or stopped their feud out front she stepped out into the entryway.

"What are you doing here?" He retorted as his auburn-ambers fluttered about her figure.

"Hope you don't mind, I still have a key," she shrugged slightly as she daggled her keychain in front of her, "I prepared dinner."

"Oh," he nodded before looking over to the steaming yet silent girl, "_oh_. Wait, Kagome—"

"No, whatever, I do not care whatsoever!" She proclaimed as she pushed him away. "Have a nice dinner with your girlfriend!"

"She's not my girlfriend! Come back here! She'd be more interested in you!"

"Huh?!" That caught Kagome's attention enough that she stopped on the second stair down.

"She'd rather have you," he hinted before extending his hand out to her, "now settle down and come have dinner."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The dense diva dragged out.

He just rolled his eyes and sighed, "do I really have to spell it out for you?"

With a prompt 'hmph' she placed her hands on her hips and glared at him with a slightly tilted head, "apparently."

"She's likes woman," he explained. He hid a chuckle when he saw the way her eyes widened and shoulder sag as her hands slowly slipped from the former firm post.

{xoxoxoxoxoxoxox}

"_That's_ Kagome?" She whispered as she leaned towards Shiro, both of them had their eyes on Kagome who was moving about to set the table, "_the_ Kagome?"

"Uh-huh," he nodded; at least the drama was all done with. His stupid nosy neighbor actually _did_ call the police and they really did show up. Thankfully, Kagome had cooled down enough to explain to them that they were just having a fight and she was fine then apologized enough for their inconvenience that they let it go.

"But… she's so young," she murmured, "cute, though."

"Don't," he grumbled between clinched teeth.

"Well… I'm happy for you, Inuyasha," she said with a weak smile and a pat on his shoulder.

"Thanks?" He murmured, "so what _are_ you doing here, Akiko?"

"Can I not visit one of my oldest friends?" She pouted but his relentless stare got her to give in, "I'm just back in Japan for a while. I figured since I have a key to your place I am still welcomed to come stay here instead of going through all the hassle of finding a hotel."

"You could call ahead."

"You've never had a steady girl so I didn't think it'd matter," she whispered before wondering away to go help Kagome, "I'm so happy to meet you."

"Me?" Kagome questioned.

"I've known Inu for a long, long, time and it's always been 'Kagome this' and 'Kagome that', I have to say, though," she paused briefly as she came up behind Kagome, "I was sort of expecting more."

That was enough to making the tea pot she removed from the stove almost slip from her hand.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"She's staying at yours?" Kagome mumbled once they reached her home, "for how long?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, "however long she's in Japan, I think right now she lives in France for the most part… Why? Do you want me to ask her to stay a hotel or something? I am mean, she's a lesbian so it's not like we are going to—"

"You can do whatever with whoever," she countered quickly, "what is she? I can tell she's not human."

"A demon, a fire demon, we met a while back." He considered her a friend, he didn't have many of them and the ones he did he never really saw. It was kind of nice to see Akiko again but… he could just feel it in his bones that Kagome and Akiko wouldn't get along. She would probably flirt and taunt Kagome too much for her comfort, she was a cruel one. While he allowed his mind to wonder he hadn't noticed Kagome wondering over to the hut to stand at the closed door.

"Shiro…"

"Huh?"

"Are you planning on getting me something for Christmas?" She inquired as she turned her head slightly so she could look over at him.

"I could," he had sort of forgotten how that holiday was right around the corner.

"Do you know what I want?"

"Not happening," he assured, which caused her to open the door and enter the hut. With complete and utter reluctance he went over to glance in at her as she sat on top of the well, "you are going to do that again? 'Cause it's going to work just as well as the last time."

"Can he still get through?" She mused; all the while letting her fingertips graze above the see-through chains, her ebony waves falling over one shoulder more so than the other as her hazels drifted across the well to each scroll.

"Nope."

She bit her bottom lip and nodded weakly, "are you sure?"

Not at all, "yep."

"She looks like… Kikyou," she admitted feebly, "Akiko. She looks just like Kikyou."

"I thought you were supposed to look like Kikyou," he recalled as he leaned against the doorway.

"You said I didn't!" Her eyes shut right away; she meant Inuyasha—her Inuyasha—said so… she hadn't meant to yell it, either.

"_Inuyasha," she mumbled with her lips against his bare shoulder as she snuggled up closer to him under the cover they shared._

"_Kagome," he muttered back without bothering to open his eyes._

"_Do…" she almost said so quietly that not even his dog ears could pick up on it. Her hand wondered from his shoulder up his collarbone then down his bare chest, "you… ever… think about…"_

"_Think about what?" He grunted. It was always when she stretched out what she meant to say like that when he knew he was in real trouble... when it was something that _really_ bothered her. So he rolled onto his side and lifted himself up on an elbow to look down at her, his lover, his…_

"_Stop," she smiled as she covered his eyes with her hand, "you are getting as bad as Miroku these days..."_

"_I am not," he swore as he lifted his hand to remove hers down to his lips, allowing his gaze to once more to move along her nude figure, "we should split up into two groups to 'look' for shikon shards more."_

"_Stop," she giggled as he leaned down to start a new assault upon her neck, "Inuyasha—"_

"_You are nothing like her," he murmured into her ear, causing the most subtle of shivers to surge through her body, "you are Kagome. You two don't even really look alike, I've already told you that many times."_

"_I know but everyone says…" she almost pouted when he pulled himself away from her clinging arms to look her in the eyes._

"_I say you don't." And that's all that mattered, their lips met again as he resituated himself on top of her, prying her legs apart while his hand roamed up the side of her body to her bobbing, harden, nubs. _

"_I like to hear that," Kagome gasped as she pushed him away only slightly, "I love you."_

"_I know," he replied before she allowed their lips to crash together once more. It was her gasped moan into their kiss that made him go over the edge before he—_

"Shiro?" Kagome called out, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he shook his head, those memories weren't useful at all. Not that he wasn't grateful for having some come back to the surface but... no, he didn't really want to remember anything more about her death. The images were enough, he needn't remember more."I'll see you later."

"Goodnight," she smiled ever so slightly.

{xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox}

"Why does she call you Shiro?" Akiko asked while she sat upon his red couch, her eyes following the wondering man about.

"I don't know," he replied, swirling his drink in his hand like he always did before taking a sip. He focused in on his windowed walls so that he could see Akiko's reflection as she draped herself across his sofa…

"_I've decided," he whispered as he opened his eyes to see a priestess in his arms; water surrounded them as the sun began to set, a boat not too far off to his left. She slowly looked up to him, the softest sadness in her shimmering eyes, "I'm going to use the shikon no tama to become human."_

"_Inuyasha…" she hushed with her strong yet sweet voice, "you do not have—"_

"_You'd be free then, wouldn't you? From having to guard it? Then I could be with…" he trailed off as his gaze turned to the wavering water behind her._

"_Yes," he looked back to her as she leaned forward for their lips to meet._

"You are a space case," Akiko declared before rolling over onto her back, "what are you thinking about so intently?"

"Nothing," he assured before looking back out to the Tokyo scene. "Nothing… Akiko?"

"Yes?"

"What do teenage girls like to do for their birthday nowadays?"

A snide smile swiped across her red lips as he shifted her feet to the ground so she could get up and walk over to him. She took his drink so she could have a sip before their eyes met, "depends…"

"On?"

"What type of message do you want to send to her," Akiko's grin grew, "and… what you want to end up doing. Inuyasha," she took a step closer to him so that she wasn't even a full centimeter away, "tell me, how is it that you haven't slept with her yet?"

"Keh," he laughed weakly, "that's none of your business."

"I thought so," she teased before finishing his drink off for him and heading towards his mini bar to refill it and get herself a glass, "it's remarkable that you haven't—"

"She wants the Inuyasha from five hundred years ago, not me."

"Then," she coaxed as she handed him his drink back, "make her change her mind. You are a cunning one and with my female intuition I can… help."

"Ha, you—"

"When's her birthday?"

"In two days."

"That's plenty of time," Akiko assured as she sat back down on the couch and crossed her legs as she leaned back.

"For what?" He asked before turning around to look at her.

"For me to plan the perfect birthday date," she surmised, "one that will make her forget all about anyone else."

"I doubt that," he groaned, "you haven't any idea how difficult she is."

"No, trust me, in three days she'll be yours. You want that, don't you, Inu?"

He wanted that... didn't he? Regardless, he gave a weak nod.


	11. Torch

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Ten: Torch **

She was… breathtaking. That meant the world; he hadn't ever thought that about anyone. Lovely was an understatement. How many could look wholesome and dazzling at the very same time? A delicate pink almost peach colored sweet yet sophisticated sweater dress with pintucked sleeves and a knitted vertical design on it was her outfit of chose, her red petticoat on top to keep her warm and black tights under to keep her barely exposed legs warm—her knee high boats helped a great deal on that account as well.

Her hazels wondered about the glowing lights about her, the laughing families, friends, and couples as they moved about the highly decorated booths but she didn't budge. She was waiting there, a smile on her lips as she readjusted her purse on her shoulder with one hand and with the other brushed a strand of her ebony waves behind her ears.

It was right then, as he watched her from a distant, that he knew how he was going to make the night end. No matter how difficult it would be to do so… he wanted to, he had to.

"Kagome," he called out as he began forward again, right away her gaze locked on to him and her smile widened only a fraction, "thanks for coming."

"Well…" she hummed once he reached her, "I really wanted to go to this festival and all my friends were going on dates here. I'd hate to be the third wheel."

His smile grew and she lightly smacked his arm as they began to head towards the row of booths filled with games, activities, food, gifts, and so much more. "I know, this isn't a date," she made it a fervent point to make sure he knew that. He had talked to her two days ago about taking her to the yearly Christmas festival that happened to start on her birthday. She agreed, making sure to say a thousand times that it would only be them going as _friends_, that they were only _friends,_ and scolded him in advance if he planned to try anything that _friends_ wouldn't do with each other.

"Did you have fun with your family?" he asked once they stopped at the first booth that caught her attention.

"Yeah, we went out to eat and to the movies together, I forgot how much I missed them," she mused as her fingertips glided across the hand-made jewelry, "I know that sounds weird, doesn't it? But when I'm in the feudal era I don't think about it much. I love them, I always will, but I don't think 'oh, I miss Souta or grandpa or mom' when I'm away. Do you see Sesshomaru often?"

"He's dead," he frankly stated without even a flinch before they moved on to the next booth. Kagome stopped and grabbed his arm to make him do the same and look at her; her brows were pressed together, her pretty smile had vanished. "What?"

"I'm sorry," they didn't get along often, they had tried to kill each other a few times, he had cut off his own brother's arm, but she was sure they were going to find a way to mend their difference and slowly she watched that happen… she was sure after at least a hundred years they'd be fine, nothing like her and Souta but siblings nevertheless.

"Don't be, it was… about three hundred years ago," he shrugged before pulling her along with him, her hand never left his arm as she caught up with him, instead she used it to stop him at another booth.

"I'm still sorry," she stated, "what happened?"

"Demons are rare now, haven't you noticed?" He glanced to her then the booth game, it was one of those throw a ring around a bottle ones.

"Yeah," she had honestly thought they were _all_ gone, that only spirits and other supernatural creatures still existed, "so…?"

"Something happened three hundred years ago, it killed off almost all of us, there's probably only a hundred of us in Japan, a few hundred around Europe, another two hundred all about Asia, probably a hundred in Africa, and a large majority of what's left when to the Americas."

"What happened…?" She whispered while she watched him hand some yen to the keeper of the booth and got some hoops in return.

"I don't want to talk about it," he insisted in a hush before he flung a few of the hoops to the bottles, and just like she had thought each time he hit his target. If it weren't for the morbid topic at hand she would have laughed at the look on the keepers' face.

"H-Here," the keeper grumbled as pointed to some of the larger stuffed animals that hung around, "pick one."

"Which do you want?" He inquired as her eyes scanned the three choices; a polar bear, a reindeer, or a big white fluffy dog—which was, of course, the one she ended up getting and, of course, he ended up lugging around for her for the rest of the night.

She wanted to pry, she was ever so curious what could happen that would hurt demons so badly and allow humans to be the leading species on the plant but… he had that look, that poor look that she hated to cause, and hated more to see so she bit her tongue and kept on wondering through the festival. It wasn't like most Japanese festival because it was supposed to be all about Christmas and western culture, but there were still a few who walked around in kimonos and traditional Japanese festival food scattered about.

It was… fun. Shockingly, very fun. It was the first time in a long while that not once had the thought of the locked well crossed her mind as he bought her a candy cane and cup of hot coco, or the worry of what Inuyasha was up to weigh her down as he slipped his hand onto the small of her back to lead her around, or the crushing need to return to the pass crimpled her as he led her off to the side some, away from the crowd, before the crashing of the fireworks began.

"How does it feel to be seventeen?" He coaxed while her awe featured face glowed with each of the sparkling bursts that brightened the dark sky.

"No different than sixteen. I had fun tonight, Shiro. Thank you." He had been oddly very gentlemanly, he hadn't once tried anything inappropriate—she had very much expected that, she was beyond sure of it really but… he hadn't.

"I'm glad," he replied as he checked his watch, "it's getting late I should get you home."

"_I know the type," Akiko assured as she sat at his kitchen table with him, "her type. She's innocent and young; she won't react well to forwardness."_

"_Yep," he had figured that out quickly._

"_Then you should offer to take her home," she smiled, "that way if she agrees and just goes home you won't get her mad _but_ if she wants the night to continue then, you'll like this, she'll have to be the one to make the move. And, I get the feeling that she will."_

"Home?" Kagome countered quickly, "but it's not _that_ late."

He tried his best to hide the smile that twisted his lips up but couldn't so he just looked away for a moment instead, "what do you want to do then? We've been all over the festival already and the firework show's done."

"I… don't know," she murmured, did he want to go home? It was only ten, she could stay out later. It was winter break and her birthday, she should be able to stay out and have fun but the only things she could think of was either going karaoke—which she thought she was dreadful at—or go to the movies—which she'd done too much lately—or go out to eat, but both had their fill of festival food so… maybe there wasn't any fun left to have?

"Alright, I have an idea," he began as he took her hand, gently, into his and started off towards where the streets of Tokyo ceased to be closed off for the festival.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

Her stomach twisted into a knot when she saw where he was heading, why was she surprised? She really shouldn't be… she really should have protested, she really should have pulled her hand away as he led her into one of the most prestigious and expensive hotels in all of Tokyo but she didn't until they were out of the cold.

"Shiro, there's no way I'm going to get—!" She started as she yanked her hand free.

"Settle down," he chuckled, "there's a party going on here tonight; I thought you'd enjoy it. It's not as high class as most of the ones they have here, it's more for fun. Dancing, drinks, and a karaoke contest."

"I don't sing," she sped as she shook her hands in front of her, "you better not enter me in that."

"Don't worry, I wasn't going to, but you do dance, right?" He coaxed out a smile from her as he led her into the ballroom area. He had to show two tickets before they could enter.

"Why do you have tickets?" Had he planned this all along? Would that be thoughtful or suggestive since they _were_ at a hotel?

He'd tell her the truth, that since he was such a loyal client to the hotel they sent him tickets to all their big events all the time in hopes that he'd end up getting a room there with whoever he ended up bring with him but he just shrugged and lied, "Akiko gave them to me, just in case you wanted to go."

"Oh," she murmured; why was she so happy that Akiko wasn't straight?

"Here, let's check your coat," he suggested as he took her petticoat off for her and then removed his own before handing it to worker, along with the stuffed animal which the thought was just too adorable.

She'd never actually been to a party, not even one her friends threw at their homes or anything. She was sure she'd be out of place but there were plenty of people her own age about with dates, friends, and even some with their family. It was… rather perfect.

"Hello," a woman announced as she took the microphone, "my name is Yura Yamimoto, I'm the next contestant on the karaoke contest and I'm going to be singing "Just One of Those Things" by Meg & Dia, I hope you enjoy."

"Come on, Kagome, let's dance," he requested as he took both of her hands and led her to the area where everyone had gathered to dance to the singing as the gradual guitar part began followed by the slow beat of the drums.

"_**Give me a minute I need a second. Got to breathe there It's Just one of those things**_"

She allowed him to place a hand on her hip as the other locked with one of hers; she took a step closer to him as they slowly began an innocent swaying like all those around them. Though, neither noticed that, since their gazes locked with the other. It sparked their surroundings to fade into a fog around them.

"_**Wish I could tell you How much I need you And how much you need me to go" **_

It was almost a subconscious movement, but she knew what she was doing really when she leaned her head against his shoulder so they could be slightly closer. She couldn't help it, well, she probably could but she'd rather think she couldn't. It was… nice, a very nice birthday. She'd spent most of all of them with her family and friends but this one was, as much as she hadn't—or had she?—wanted it to become a date. A decent date… her first date.

"_**Please don't listen to what I'm gonna tell you Look in my eyes and know I simply had to give up But I didn't let go without struggle you know, I still love you. It's just, just one of those things**_"

His hand slid from her hip to her back so he could hold her tighter. He let his senses become overwhelmed with all that was Kagome. Her delicate and dainty scent filled his nostrils, he felt nothing but the softness of her hand, and heard little more than her humming along with the song... the beating of her heart.

"_**I know I made it seem Like all was written down And I hid all my pain And now I bring it out**_"

This wasn't right… right? She should be mad at him still, sickened by his previous behavior but… she found her heart defending his actions nevertheless. His possessive nature that he had always had; he was just trying to protect her by ceiling up the well. Yes, that was all. So she'd let her grudge go, she'd just focus all her efforts into helping him remember what happened five hundred years ago. Then, once that memory returned, once they figured out how to avoid it, she was sure she'd be able to convince him to take off the shekels so she could return. So she could at least say goodbye...

"_**And you'll be scared at first cuz it's such an ugly blow I don't know which is worse to learn or not to know**_"

Yes, the longer he held her, the closer he felt to her, the surer he was… he had to make sure the night ended like he planned on the moment he laid his eyes on her at the festival. It'd be hard, it'd be tempting to do the opposite, but he couldn't. That way he could make her his with more easy. He was sure he'd recover more memories of the past, that way he could learn what occurred… or was it best not to know? To just let what had been forgotten stay that way?

"_**Please don't listen to what I'm gonna tell you Look in my eyes and know I simply had to give up But I didn't let go without struggle you know, I still love you It's just, just one of those things**_"

She pulled away slightly so she could look up at him, his eyes returned to her as well. Just like before the room seemed to still around them.

"_**I tried to tell you a million times That you have always been one of us I tried to tell you a million times You have always been one of us**_"

He started it, that's how she justified it, he leaned his face closer to hers first… but she was the one that closed the slender gap.

Just for one, small, innocent, peck on the lips.

{xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox}

"Now what?" She asked with a small spin as they walked back out into the lobby, both with their jackets draped over their arms. Two hours, that's what the old grandfather's clock told her once she looked around, two hours they had been dancing, laughing, and talking and besides that one simple kiss he hadn't tried anything. Her heart beat ever so quickly at the thought of that moment, that moment she probably shouldn't have allowed but… did.

Of course, he had to glance to the front desk a few times before he replied, "I think it's time for me to walk you home."

"Alright," she nodded as she put her petticoat back on and pulled out a pair of gloves to slide on, "do you want to walk all the way or take the subway?"

"It's up to you," he said while he opened the door for her, it was the awful burst of cold air that fiddled with her hair that gave her a certain answer. They were to the station in only a minute and in the warm train in another five.

"Thank you, again," she started once they were both seated, "it was surprisingly a lot of fun."

"That's good," though he didn't think it should be 'surprisingly' because he _was_ a fun guy. "Tomorrow is Sunday, ya' know," he teased her some with a nudge of his shoulder to hers, "are you going to come over and 'study'?"

"Can you actually help me study for the college entrance exams?" As long as she was in her own era she might as well prepare.

"I can."

"It's also Christmas Eve day," she reminded with a small smile, "do you celebrate it? My family really doesn't… I've always wanted to decorate a tree and everything." The Higurashi's exchange gifts and some minor decoration, but they never over did it.

Oh, he held back a sigh, he could defiantly tell the implication between all of that, "yeah," he weakly murmured, "of course, a tree and ornaments… yeah, I do that all the time."

Of course he didn't, but if she could get him to, why not? So she'd play dumb and gawk, "really?"

"Yeah," almost never, never when he lived alone like he did now—he'd lived with Akiko once or twice for a few years, and a few other friends, never lovers since he knew better. Some of his past roommates got a kick out of celebrating mortal holidays but he never did… but, for Kagome, he could bother with it this year.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"What are you doing back here?" Akiko inquired as she leaned into the living room to see her friend at his usual post, staring out the window with a glass of whiskey in hand. "She reject you again? That's the best hotel in Tokyo, it's romantic, it—"

"I didn't ask her," he broke in. The moment he saw her that night she looked too… youthful, too innocent. He knew then that he wouldn't push his luck, that he didn't even want—no, he did but he wouldn't—to. He wouldn't ruin her birthday or his chances of ever winning over her heart from his former self. She was like a delicate flower that needed to be handled with care, he'd never bothered to do that before but for her... he could wait, he could take his time.

"Inu," Akiko sighed as she strolled up to him, "you are strange. Anyway, more importantly, the gathering is in Kyoto this year."

"That's why you are really here?" He had half thought that was the case but she hadn't bothered attending one in at least five decades, so why now? Nothing drastically different was planned to take place. It was the same as all the years past, wouldn't it be...?

"I've decided to run for a position," she nodded as she leaned against the window to force him to look her in the eye, "you _are_ going to make sure you keep your post, right, Inu?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I'd rather not."

"Because of her?" She scoffed with a small shake of her head, "Inu, don't be stupid. She's just a human, you'll get to be with her for a while but then she'll be gone and you—"

"Stop, stop," he grunted, he knew, he'd thought about that... sure, he could save Kagome _now_ from death, he could keep her around, keep her safe but she was just a mortal and all mortals die. "What are you up to, Akiko?"

"Well," she smirked before brushing a strand or two behind her ears, "you are at least going to the gathering, _right_? I would like your endorsement."

"Fine…" he huffed, "fine, of course I'll give it to you."

"Good, good, I'm going to head off to Kyoto tomorrow night so I'll be out of your hair," she promised with a bit of a pout, "I am a bit disappointed that you haven't sealed the deal with your Kagome. What about Christmas, hm?"

"Maybe," he had gotten a willing kiss out of her, after all, "maybe... hey, I have a favor to ask for in return for giving you my endorsement."

"Anything," Akiko assured earnestly, "what?"

"Go out and buy some Christmas decorations and a tree."

Light laughter broke from her luscious lips before she gradually became morbidly mute, "you... _are_ kidding, aren't you?"

"Kagome wants to decorate a tree..."

"Oh, Inu," she sighed with a pat on his shoulder, "she has you wrapped around her finger, hasn't she?"

Regrettably... somehow, the tables had been turned and... yes, yes she did.


	12. Trophies

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Eleven: Trophies**

"I can't believe I'm bothering with this," Akiko grumbled bitterly while her finely manicured hands worked their way through the knotted Christmas lights she had been trying to untangle for almost thirty minutes. "You _have_ to come to Kyoto now and you _have_ to give me a very, very amazing endorsement speech, Inu."

"I told you already I would," he barked from across the living room where he had finally set up the stupid tree. Who would have thought it was so difficult to go and get a tree? It took him two hours to find a place that still had one that didn't look like it was near death and another hour to get it back to his place—he had to _leave_ Tokyo to find it—then the whole bothersome processes of setting it up…

"What's so important about this year, huh? I thought you liked France."

"I do but I'm from here, I'd prefer to take over an area in a smaller and very well kept country," she taunted with a small yelp at the end, _finally_ she freed the last knot, "I did it!"

"Congrats," he muttered before uncorking a bottle he pulled out from below his bar, "seriously, Akiko, what's going on—?"

"Shouldn't you _know_?" She sassed back with a roll of her eyes before disappearing from the room, when she returned she had two wine glasses in hand for him to pour the red joy into, "it's always nice to see some traditions never die."

"Uh-huh," he nodded meekly. Wine was never his first drink of choice, it probably wasn't even in the top twenty but it was always Akiko's favorite—particularly red wine—so he always broke out a bottle on the day she left. "You just stopped by to make sure that I—"

"Inu, I haven't seen you in years, I wanted to come make sure you are OK still," she chimed in with a gentle pat to his cheek after he took his glass from her, "I am happy that you finally found that girl."

"Thanks," he guessed.

"She must be awfully important if you haven't fucked her yet, after all," she jabbed before heading to the door.

Right as she lifted her hand to knock upon the door it opened up and there the still ever so pretty Akiko stood. Her chocolates still evaluating her with a condescending sense, without even a greeting she just took a drink from her glass and stepped aside so Kagome could enter.

"Hi," if Akiko wasn't going to say anything then she would, "how are you…?"

"On my way out, don't worry," Akiko assured as she closed the door and leaned against it while Kagome took her shoes off in the entryway, "did you have a happy birthday yesterday?"

"I did, thank you for the tickets to that party."

She almost opened her mouth to inquire about that but decided against it and just smiled with a nod, "right, so Inu went through a lot of trouble to put all this awful nonsense together," she whispered as she took a few steps closer to Kagome, "and he's been waiting _five_ hundred years for you. I get that your little mortal mind can't comprehend that," Akiko pouted playfully as she tapped the side of Kagome's head, "but that is a very long time, even to us. The least you can do is _repay_ him," and to make sure she got her point across she winked with a lustful grin before finishing off her glass with one final, large, gulp.

"W-W—" Kagome began but Akiko just patted her own the back as she passed her, obviously not caring for the answer whatsoever.

"Don't listen to her," she heard from not too far behind her but still couldn't calm her flustered mind enough to tell her feet to move, "Akiko's never been in a relationship where she doesn't screw a person within the first three nights."

Relationship… he thought they were in a relationship? That was what he was implying by saying that, right? Could she really say they weren't? Even at the simplest level, friendship was still a relationship so she took a breath in and let Akiko's unneeded comment move to the back of her mind as she turned around to follow Shiro into the living room where… he had gone all out. There were a few boxes of ornaments, some garland and even a wreath or two. He even got a real evergreen tree.

"Shiro…" she awed as she walked about examining it all with a slight smile on her face, "this is great!"

"Good, good," that look was what he was going for, the cute childish awe that had illuminated her face the night before as she watched the fireworks crash about in the sky. "You wanna decorate or study?"

"Decorate, of course," she giddily retorted as she dropped to her knees to remove her jacket and begin to dig threw one of the boxes of ornaments, "are these all new…?"

"Why would you say that?" He inquired as he sat down on the couch not too far from her, still an almost full glass of red wine in his hand.

"Oh, I don't know," she mocked as she pulled some of them out, "probably because the price tag are still on them."

He cringed at that, did he really need to tell Akiko to take those off when she bought them?

"You bought all this just because I wanted to celebrate Christmas…?"

"It's fine, don't worry about it," he sped, "I got plenty of money, it's the least I can do."

A petite pout formed as she tore off some of the price tags… Akiko's words echoed about her head no matter how much she'd rather them not. "Why do you say that?"

"Say what?" he muttered before taking his first sip of the drink, honestly, he didn't like wine. Rice wine? Yes, very much, but no matter how 'grand' or 'well aged' a bottle of grape wine was he just never got a kick out of drinking it. It was still alcohol, though—waste not, want not.

"It's the least you can do?" She repeated before pushing the box over to the tree more so she could start to line the tree in a seemingly random pattern.

"You know why," he whispered as his gaze followed each of her bends for a new ornament and stretch to put it on the tree.

The well? She guessed that must be what he was talking about… 'it's alright, I forgive you for that,' was what she planned on saying as she turned around to look at him but his eyes were fixated on a part of her body she'd rather them not so instead she just clinched her teeth and threw the ornament she had in her hand at his head.

His hand flew up and caught it before it could smash against his head, "you are a violent little girl."

"You were staring at my!" Muddle words collided together before they could fully leave her lips, so instead she just snorted and returned to her project at hand.

"I can't help it," he murmured. She jumped slightly from the feeling of his breath upon her ear as he spoke his words. He had gotten up from the couch to place the ornament she had flung at him upon the tree; apparently, that meant he had to stand right behind her and reach over her shoulder to place it on one of the highest branches. He lingered there for longer than needed but she didn't push him away, she didn't tell him to move, she didn't even really breathe… her heart just picked up pace.

"Do you want some wine?" He asked after taking a step back and heading back to the couch.

Right away she found her breath and loosened up before bending down to get another set of ornaments, "n-no, that's OK."

"Do you want anything to drink?"

"Do you have eggnog?" She laughed lightly while giving him a glance over her shoulder—the lazy bum could be helping instead of lying on the couch with a glass of wine in hand… why'd he always have a glass of something?

"No," he hadn't thought about that, "I could go—"

"No, I was just kidding," she assured with another giggle, "don't worry, but you could _help_ this is your place."

He grunted something so low to himself that she didn't catch it. She did watch him long enough to see him finish off his glass and get up to grab some garland.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

The most 'awkward' part of the whole decoration session was one that she started, she wanted to put the star on top of the tree and had asked him to pick her up to do so. He obliged without protesting, it wasn't until he wrapped his arms around her waist to lift her up that the fluttering of her unsteady heart began again and she realized her mistake. It was Shiro who didn't set her down even after she had accomplished her goal, she didn't say anything, again, though. She just placed her hands on his shoulder and looked down at him, to those eyes that hid something she wished ever so hard she could make go away.

For a moment, while her hazels looked to his suddenly seeming more amber than auburn gaze, it seemed that something was gone before _he_ gently set her down. Her hands still lingered on his shoulders, his arms still hung about her hips. She felt another kiss coming but before he was given the chance to lean forward she abruptly pushed him away and decided it was time to study.

It had been an hour since then and her heart had only recently returned to its regular beat. It helped that there was nothing but a hush around her, he was letting her try a few math problems—her worst subject—by herself from the college exam prep books that he had bought for her.

"I think… I got it," she nodded only half sure of herself. A minute eloped before she looked over to the too silent Shiro. He… had fallen _asleep_? He was supposed to be helping her, tutoring her like he promised her mom, but instead he fell asleep? In quiet the awkward position, too. His elbow rested on the table as his arm propped his face up, he leaned more one way than the other. How one could sleep like that was beyond her but she was very sure he had fallen asleep…

Akiko's words came back to the surface as she stared at him. He looked so peaceful like that, granted he'd probably have a kink in his neck when he woke up, but for the moment… she couldn't help but smile.

Instead of waking him like she had first planned to she got up and grabbed a cushion off of the couch and the blanked that was draped over the back. After she situated the cushion she gently, gradually, readjusted him so he had his head rested on that then placed the blanket on top of him. She could just look at the back of the book to see what she had done wrong with her math problems, after all.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

"Hm… Kagome…?" He mumbled while rolling over on the ground. Steadily, he opened his eyes until he could see her sitting at the coffee table not too far from him, still with her face in the prep-book.

"Hey," she replied with a smile, "you're awake."

He rubbed his neck as he sat up, "when'd I fall asleep?"

"About two hours ago," she guessed, "I didn't have the heart to wake you."

"I'm sorry," he muttered before he stood up to stretch his back, "I didn't mean to fall asleep," he meant to help her study, "it's just I haven't slept well lately."

"Oh? Why?" She asked as she flipped through the pages to the answer key in the back to compare her answers.

"No reason," he lied before kneeling down by her again, "what section are you on?"

"Don't lie, Inu," Akiko asserted, causing the most subtle of winces to leave his lips.

"Aren't you gone yet?" He snickered before she could open her freshly painted, pouting, lips.

"I'm on my way out," she hushed while she pointed to her bag.

"Lie about what?" Kagome butted in before Shiro could edge her to leave quicker. Her glance flickered between the man to her left and the woman to her right as their eyes locked ever so intently with each other. It seemed that whatever their stare match was over Shiro won because she just sighed and he ended up with a smirk on his face.

"Now, what section—" he began as he turned his attention back to Kagome and her prep-book.

"He can't sleep because of you," Akiko couldn't help but let slip before she quickly snatched up her bag and disappeared to the door, and before her dear friend could retort she had the door shut behind her.

With closed eyes he shook his head and returned his attention back to the book, "math—?"

"What's that mean?" Kagome countered as she slammed the book close. Was it because she wouldn't… with him? Was that bothering him _so_ much that he couldn't sleep? That was _ridiculous_. So what? Did he really not like to just spend time with her? Was that not enough? Why couldn't that be enough…?

"Nothing, she's full of shit," he assured after taking the book into his hand and flipping it open to see how far she had gotten.

"No, Shiro," she kept up as her hand grabbed his chin to make him look at her, "tell me."

He hadn't planned on it, another lie had crept towards the tip of his tongue but when her firm hazels glared into his gaze he couldn't seem to remember what it is. The truth came out, regrettably; instead, "I just… can't sleep since my memories have started to come back."

"Why?"

If she'd only let go he was sure he could deceive her, tell her a wholesome lie that would make her feel better, but she didn't. Her soft fingertips were still upon his skin, "that scene… that one where you're dead… I can't get it out of my head, whenever I close my eyes…" why couldn't one of the good ones come to mind? One of the ones when she was nude? When she was professing her love to him? Why _that_ one? Why the one of the battered beauty?

A frown pulled her lips down as her fingertips glided down his skin until they were free to return to her neck, "how long has this been going on?"

He just shook his head, "never mind it, let's get back to—"

"How much sleep do you get a night?"

"It. Does. Not. Matter," he thoroughly assured before setting the book back down on the coffee table rather harshly.

"Did it happen when you took a nap? Just now?"

"No," it couldn't hurt to say that, but he wouldn't tell her why. She was there, safely beside him, he was sure that was why the image didn't reappear.

"Good," she mumbled before allowing him to encourage her to return to her studying… was she thinking to highly of herself when she decided it must have been because she was there that he slept soundly? Maybe just having her there, alive and in one piece, was enough to push those thoughts out of his mind…

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"I got you something," she eagerly smiled after she decided she had her fill of studying. It was winter break and Christmas Eve—the inky darkness had cascaded over the light—so why bore herself like that? "It's just a little something but I thought you might like it anyway."

"You didn't have to," he assured as she pulled out a properly wrapped present from her purse to hand it to him.

"I wanted to. I saw it and thought of you right away."

It was a necklace, one that brought a half-smile half 'ha-ha' nod. The chain looked an awful lot like those that were ghostly wrapped around the well; there was a charm on it that read 'luck' in Kanji. It was luck—fate?—that they had even crossed each other's path that day, after all.

"You like it?" She laughed.

"Mm-hm," he mumbled before she snatched it from his hand and placed it around his neck. "I have something for you, too."

"You really shouldn't have, you already bought me my phone and you are the one paying the monthly bill and you bought all of this for me," she waved towards the finely decorated living room while smiling at the tree she was ever so proud of.

"It's something small," because he had thought she'd have that reaction.

It was a petite present, just a small two inch wide box that took her no time to open it. A smile flashed across her face as she extracted the phone charm, a jewel on the end of it that looked an awful lot like the shikon no tama dangled there. "Thank you, happy Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Kagome."

"Even though my family doesn't really celebrate it, we still exchange gifts and spend the day together," she began after they rearranged themselves on the couch, the blanket draped over their legs since they lied opposite of each other.

"That's nice."

"Maybe you should come over for dinner tomorrow," she suggested in a bit of a hush, her fingers fiddling with the frayed pieces of the blanket.

"It's alright, I don't want to infringe on—"

"No, I want you to come," she assured rather quickly; her eyes moved up from the blanket to him, "I don't like the idea of you spending the holiday all by yourself. I'll just tell my mom how you don't have any family nearby, she'll be happy to have you over. After all, she thinks you are just so _grand_."

"Ha, are you still mad about that?"

"Not really," it had actually been oddly helpful to have him sit there and explain whatever she had gotten wrong. She had read the answer key and explanation at the end of the book for all the questions she did while he was asleep but she understood her mistakes so much better when he pointed it out then took her through a step by step of what to do next time.

"It's getting late…" he murmured as he rearranged himself so he was lying down on the couch more, which meant he had to drape his legs over hers, "do you want me to walk you home?"

"Actually…" again, Akiko's words haunted her. She really should repay him… even though he took the well from her—to save her life, she had to remind herself. He did so much for her recently and had been on his best behavior so… yes, she was sure she had to repay him.

"Actually…?" he dragged out as he let his eyes close again.

"I… was thinking," her cheeks reddened as her fingers began to mess with the blanket more fervently, "that maybe… I'd just spend the night instead of heading back? It's so cold and such a long way back and I'm a little tired… I can just get up early and sneak in so my mom doesn't notice I never came home. Everyone at my house goes to sleep so early they'd never notice."

His eyes fluttered open; did she really just say that…? "Oh?"

"Not so we can do anything!" She assured, "_OK_? Don't get any funny ideas, Shiro."

A few scenarios still came to mind, he couldn't help it, but he wouldn't try to act on any of them. "Alright, you can take the bed I'll just sleep here."

"You don't… need to," she whispered while she got up, "I have an idea."

Of course, he could have taken the bed in the spare room, but she didn't think about that and he didn't mention it. Instead, they both ended up in his king sized bed but with a wall of pillows in between of them.

"If you try anything, Shiro, I'll never forgive you!" She shouted before snuggling in the comforter.

"I promise I won't…" he mumbled while sleep took him. It was really the best Christmas gift she could give him, a sleep free of nightmares.

{xoxoxoxoxox}

Morning's light crept in through the slender crack in the drapes. Unfortunately, Kagome had taken the side that faced all the windows so she was the one who's eyes the light struck. With a small moan she flipped around in the bed so she was facing away from it, it took a bit more time before her eyes find a way to open.

The pillowed wall that had separated them had fallen down through the night but they were still on the opposite side of the bed from each other. Serene sleep was written across his face, his arms were wrapped around his pillow, and his body was turned to face her… she couldn't help but smile as she move to rest on the bundle of pillows, closer to him to see him. For just a moment, she assured herself, she'd just lie there. He had the same look on his face when he slept as five hundred years ago. It warmed her heart like never before, though.

Could she really be called fickle when her heart fluttered between the same man…? She didn't really want to know the answer.


	13. Together

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twelve: Together**

She got in without being noticed and went back to bed until Souta came in to wake her so they could open their gifts. Like she said she would, she explained to her mom how Shiro had no family around and, like she thought, her mother was happy to accept him over for dinner. Just so she could use her new phone, she made sure to call him in the afternoon to verify that he was coming.

Even though he didn't remember his frequent journeys over to her world and all the times he met her grandpa and brother, he fit in fine. His grandpa kept a close eye on him, making sure that he didn't try anything funny with his granddaughter. Souta begged him to pay a video game or two with him and he was still able to charm her mother into thinking that he was a golden boy.

… but that was two days ago, and other than a text or two then a call to tell her he wouldn't be able to go over and tutor her on Tuesday she hadn't heard from him and not once had she seen him.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Checking for a new text again, Kagome?" Sachiko teased from across the table. The girls had again gathered together for an outing, "haven't heard from Shiro in a while…?"

"Uh? What? No," was she that transparent?

"Have you had sex with him yet?" Eri inquired after she took a sip of her soda.

"What?! Of course not!" Flustered Kagome cried out as she grasped her cup more, "we aren't even dating…"

"But you went on a date together to the Christmas festival?" Michiko asked.

"And you spent Christmas Eve decorating his place?" Sachiko added.

"_And_ you had him over from Christmas dinner?" Ayumi awed, "how can you say you aren't dating?"

"Tell us you have at least kissed the guy," Eri begged.

"Well… yes," she nodded, "we have."

"It's because Kagome's a virgin," Sachiko explained in a matter-of-fact voice, "that they haven't done it yet. We all held out for a while when we were, because you are waiting for him to do something really romantic, right? In reality they don't, and if they do when you look back on it… it's not that great."

"My first guy just took me to a love hotel," Michiko sighed, "don't let Shiro do that. It's not that great. It's OK for sex-time afterwards, though."

"G-guys, come on, let's stop talking about this."

"We're helping you," Ayumi assured, "listen, you aren't going to want to just jump into having sex. It'll hurt more if you do it like that, let him finger—"

"Ayumi, please!" Kagome cried with pink flushed cheeks.

"She's right," Sachiko sang, "fool around a few times before just going for it."

"That way you know if you have any chemistry with him, too," Eri enlightened, "maybe…"

"Maybe… what?" Kagome couldn't help but ask from the strange evasive look on her friend's face.

"He is older than you," she shrugged, "maybe he's sick of waiting. Older guys usually only want to have sex, so if you make them wait too long they just move on. After all, you haven't done anymore than _kiss_ right?"

"No… it's not like that…" Shiro wouldn't… no, he wouldn't. Right?

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Never before had she been so nervous when she stood in front of his door. She could hear her heart pounding as she lifted her hand to knock, weakly, a few times. This was stupid, she knew Shiro and he wouldn't be with another woman just because she hadn't given herself to him yet… She was sure of that, why was she even considering the possibility? If only she hadn't gone to her friends for advice, really, she regretted it. They gave her a _lot_ of unneeded information, well, it was only unneeded because she had no intention of ever doing anything like that with him but if she were—hypothetically only, of course—what they told her would come in handy…

"Kagome?" He asked after opening the door, "what are you doing here?"

"I haven't seen you in a while," she meekly mumbled as her eyes flickered down to her feet, "just wondering if you are OK, I guess."

"Fine, fine," he assured as his gaze wondered around the hallway before he took her hand and led her into his place so he could close and lock the door. "It's only been a day."

"It's been two!"

It was almost embarrassing, she was sure he could probably hear her heart stop being when his rare smile curled up is lips, "you miss me, Kagome?"

"Shut up, Shiro," she stuttered before she began to remove her shoes, hung her coat and set her purse on the small table in the entryway that was meant for keys and mail.

"Kagome, if you wanted to see me," he whispered into her ears as he grabbed her shoulders tenderly, "you could have just called me. I would have come over yesterday."

"I-It's not like that," she stumbled forward slightly, "it's just you are always worrying about where I am and suddenly I don't see you for a few days… that's all."

"Kagome," he began with an even grander grin but a quick series of thuds upon his door caught his attention. "Go into the living room."

"OK…" she sighed but did so slowly so she could still see him head to the door and hear him open it. A shrill shriek made her shiver to a stop, the next thing she knew Shiro was on the ground with an overly excited girl on top of him, her knees on each side of his hips, her hands on either side of his neck.

"Yasha!" The girl cried out as she bent down to hug his neck, "I've missed you!"

"Mi," he choked before prying her arms off and getting to his feet, "hi."

"That's all?" She pouted as she simply rose to her knees and pulled off her wool knit hat to expose two sagging kitty ears, "Yasha, I've missed you…"

"It's been two hours and what are you doing without your pendant on?!" He scoffed back before Kagome caught his eyes.

"It's winter so I can just wear a hat. You know how I hate that stupid thing, Yasha!" She protested as she leered forward to hug his waist, but he avoided it and grabbed Kagome to separate him from the girl.

"Who's this?" Mi mopped as she reluctantly got up, "another random whore?"

"Hey!" Kagome shouted.

"This is Ka-go-me," he slowly implied.

"Wait…" Mi sighed, "tattoo Ka-go-me?"

"Yep."

Her auburn orbs glared at the girl for a moment before huffing out a silent insult, "I'm Mimiko, nice to meet you."

"Shiro," Kagome sassed the second Mi had wondered off into the guest bedroom, "is she a lesbian, too?"

"What? No," he wished while he led her into the living room that had yet to be de-Christmasfied.

"So… is she staying here?" Kagome kept up with tightly folded arms, her weight more on one leg then the other only exacerbated the sour look upon her pretty face.

"Kagome…" he cautiously began as he poured himself a glass of whatever was in the darkened crystal bottle, he allowed himself a much needed drink before taking a breath and looking over at the still scoffing girl, "just because she's a female doesn't mean I'm screwing her."

"I didn't ask that," she spat out quickly as she rearranged her arms from being folded to resting upon her hips, "I asked if she is staying here."

"You wanted to know if I've fucked her, you want to know if I am _still_ fucking her," he countered with a small shake of his glass towards her, "but yes, she's staying her temporarily."

"You are so rude," she scowled with a shake of her head; she turned her back to him and began towards the entryway once more before he caught her attention.

"You won't say you like me, you won't say we are dating, so… why's it matter if some girl is staying with me? If we were dating, if you were my," he had to pause to search for the proper term of the day, "girlfriend, then I'd have OKed it with you beforehand."

"Don't start that! Of course we are dating!" She shouted as she spun around; right away, she shut her eyes and took a deep breath. She hadn't meant that… she hadn't meant to say it. It was just because of the talk she had recently with her friends about him, that's all… they weren't…

"We are?" He grinned as he took a few steps closer to her, "then, Kagome, is it OK if Mi stays here with me until New Years? Then she'll be gone. I promise not to do anything improper, after all," his hand lifted up to gently stroke her cheek and coax her eyes to open once more, "I have been waiting for you for over five hundred years. Why would I ruin that—?" was exactly where he should have ended the statement, it would have been charming, almost romantic, and surely would have made her heart flutter but he had to be cocky, "just because you won't have sex with me? It's not like it's _that_ big of a deal."

"Shiro," she scoffed while knocking his hand away, "idiot, don't say such things."

"Fine," he sighed before taking another sip, "but, seriously, is it OK if Mi stays or not? I really do promise nothing will transpire between us. She's just a kid. I'm not as perverted as you think I am."

"A kid?" She couldn't help but raise a brow to that. Mi wasn't anything like that mature and attractive Akiko, she'd grant him that, but she didn't look any younger than herself. If she had to guess Mi was between sixteen and seventeen, at most eighteen.

"Yeah, she's just a kid," a clingy, overly excitable kid, but nothing more; surely not a woman and surely not a candidate to bed with.

"I am not a kid! Yasha!" Mi protested as she stormed out of the guest room, "I am a hundred years old! How am I a child still!?"

"You act like one," he grunted, "once you act like a woman I'll treat you like one."

"She's only, what!? Fifteen!" Mi accused with a point to Kagome, "how is she a woman and I'm not?"

"I never said," but he knew to bit his lip before it was too late… or so he thought.

"You never said _what_?" Kagome demanded.

"Nothing, nothing, anyway, Mi, leave us alone, we need to talk," he proclaimed with a wave of his hand that held his drink towards her.

"Yasha, you are so mean!" Was all she screamed before slamming the door behind her.

"See? A child," he assured before wondering over to sit on a chair.

"You never said _what_?" Kagome kept with as she walked over to stand in front of him, "you don't think I'm a woman?"

"Kagome…" there was no need to get into such a matter.

"No? So what? You think I'm a kid but you still want to have sex with me? Doesn't that completely counter what you just said about Mi?"

"Only Yasha can call me Mi!" A muffled cry called out.

"Mi!" He shouted back, "watch TV or something!"

"Shiro," Kagome caught his chin and made him look at her, "tell me."

"I don't think you're a kid at all, Kagome," he swore as he took her hand gently into his, "not even a little bit."

"But…? What? I'm not a woman? Because, what? I'm never…?" Had sex? Was that what classified someone as an adult? She'd seen things, gone through so much, that no adult of her time had—wasn't that enough for him to see her as a woman? Wait… why did it matter so much if he did or not? Wouldn't it be best if he didn't? If what he said about Mi was true?

"Kagome, don't get mad," he begged before letting his lips grace the back of her hand, "it's just… you don't act like a woman, that's all."

"What do you mean I don't act like a woman?" She retorted as she recoiled her hand into her other one.

"It's just… woman use words, not violence, you use a great deal of violence," he murmured and could just feel a slap in the face coming.

And if he hadn't said that she just might have done so, "so I'm a kid?!"

"No, you are in-between, in the processed of becoming a woman, that's all. Nothing to be ashamed of, there's no need to grow up too quickly."

"Fine, whatever," she simmered, "why does _Mimiko_ have cat ears?"

A clear diversion, the sizzling expression smeared across her façade spoke more volumes about her frustration that the acidic tone that laced each of her words but he allowed the distraction from the more important topic at hand because… he was scared to further piss her off. "She's a half-demon, they still exist, and actually… there are more of them than true bloods. A great deal more. They are supposed to wear pendants that can hide their supernatural features but Mi finds it bothersome, somehow…"

"You don't get it, Yasha!" Mi proclaimed as she pocked her head out from behind the corner and into the living room, "they are really annoying! Why should I have to hide my pretty features just because humans would freak?"

"Do I really need to explain that to you again? And what part of 'we need to talk' didn't you comprehend?" He growled back, "go away—"

"No, she can stay if she wants," Kagome countered, "come on, Mimiko, I'd love to hear more about that."

"Really…?" Mi dragged out with a bit of a pout but when she saw how serious Kagome was it quickly grew into a grin as she skipped into the room, "I'm a half cat demon. My mom was demon, my dad human—boy, was he surprised when he found out!"

"Mi," he sighed as he raised his semi-cool glass to his forehead, "she doesn't need know that."

"I asked, Shiro," Kagome snarled back, "shut up."

"Why do you call Yasha 'Shiro'?" Mi inquired as she turned her attention to the half cowarding man, "does she not know your real name?"

"She refuses to call me by that," he murmured.

"It is a weird name, isn't it? Old names," she shrugged with a laugh, "they're always the weirdest."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"So… what happened three hundred years ago exactly?" Kagome whispered after an hour of Mimiko breaking down her life story and rambling on and on about how hard it was to possess demon blood nowadays. They had to hide it, they were more powerful than humans but they could not allow them to find out. How she hated it and how they were a dying species. How they discovered if a half-breed has a child with a human the demon blood seems to go dormant… how that was the kiss of death for them, because that was what kept happening.

"Oh, I don't know, my mom was from that time period but she never liked to talk about it. It's just one of those things that I guess traumatized all that survived it," Mimiko shrugged as she picked up her fresh mug of hot coco, "Yasha won't tell you, huh? He lost his family in the incident."

"Sesshomaru…?"

Mimiko just shrugged, "he doesn't talk about it so I don't any names."

"It must have been hard, huh…?" All those years, all alone…

"Probably, but that's what makes Yasha so great," a girlish smile warmed Mi up, "he's so strong… he's _the_ strongest in all of Asia, I bet you anything that. He's also so smart… he's _the_ smartest in… probably just Japan," she laughed lightly, "but he's great. He's really loyal, too. If you can wiggle yourself into his good grace then you will always have someone to rely on, that's why he has such a devoted following."

"I can tell," she murmured as she hid a bitter frown. A highly devote following, she could easily tell from the way Mi talked that she was proud to have a membership with so many other woman. So many adored him… what if he discovered after spending more time with her that she wasn't that great? That she wasn't as good as he had fantasized about? That she was rather dull and really just a mortal…? Then he'd just go on to the next girl in his following… she didn't want that, it was just something she had to admit to herself. There was no reason to hide what her heart had already set itself on, that's why she wouldn't contradict what she said early. She'd let Shiro think they were together because… she wanted to be.

Not that that at _all_ meant her heart still didn't yearn to return to the feudal era, to her Inuyasha, to collect the jewel shards that she had created, to help her dear friends kill Naraku but… as long as she _had_ to be in her world then why not be with Shiro…? A terrible shiver crept down her spine when she thought like that, she couldn't really find logic or justification for it… it was best to just tried not to think about it. Maybe she would be better off just being impulsive instead of always thinking so much?

"Why do you call him 'Yasha'?"

"It's just a nick-name, I suppose," she meekly replied.

"Akiko calls him only Inu."

"I bet you're happy she's incapable of being interested in him," Mi asserted, "she's _so_ pretty and _really_ close to Yasha. I think they've known each other since before the incident."

She didn't need to be told that, of course she was, "I suppose…"

"I think they are that close because there is no possibility of physical attraction."

"My ears are burning," Shiro shouted once he opened his door and entered. "I got your stupid—"

"It's not stupid! It's delicious," Mi cried out as she lunged for the bag of goodies that he had bought for her from the convenient store down the street, "thank you, Yasha! I wuv you."

He just rolled his eyes before letting them set in on Kagome, "hey, do you want to stay for dinner?"

"Dinner…?" She murmured before glancing over to the clock, "oh, no! I promised my mom I'd be home to help her cook! I got to go!"

"Do you want me to walk you?" He barely got out before she had her shoes sloppily back on and yanked her coat out of the closet to jet out of the place.

"No! Bye!"

{xoxoxoxoxo}

A sigh of relief left her lips as she sat down on the train; she had just barely caught it. If she had to wait for the next one she'd never make it back in time.

"Hey, there," a rough, almost rusty, voice greeted but she ignored it. It probably wasn't directed towards her anyway and if it was she didn't know the man.

"Hey," he kept up as a coarse hand caught her chin to force her to look up at him.

The air escaped from her lungs when she saw him. He looked _just_ like Kouga but there was no way… right? She would have tried to breath if the sense of his aura didn't hit her right then—demon?

"Do you know who I am?" He questioned with the cockiest smile she had seen since… well, the last time she saw Kouga.

"K…Kouga?"

One of his brows rose up before his hand slipped from her skin, "no, I'm Takeo… how do you know my father's name?"

"Kouga's your father?" She awed, "what's your mom's name?"

"Ayame… why?"

Yes, she kept her cheer to herself, but at least then she knew that Kouga would get over his false infatuation with her and move on to the deserving Ayame. "Oh, that's nice," she smiled ever so brightly, "it's nice to meet you, Takeo, how can I help you?"

The confusion that had etched itself into his face only crept deeper, "you _are_ that damn dog's current pet, right?"

Some things never change, she sighed before shaking her head, "you sound like Kouga…"

"Stop saying stupid shit, woman," he demanded before slamming his hand against the seat by her shoulder, "tell that bastard that if he doesn't want anything to happen to you," his hand grasped a lock of her hair, "he'll just give up this year, got _it_? No one wants to take fucking orders from a dipshit that allows himself to be so taken in by a human _girl_."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome scoffed back before smacking his hand away. Why did she have to suddenly be just a 'girl'? What an ass.

"Hey, shut up," he barked between clinched teeth, "you are supposed to be scared, I'm a demon, bitch."

"Whatever, I've seen worse," she scoffed with folded arms, "tell Shiro yourself."

"Shi…?" He chuckled before wrapping a hand around her neck when the train came to its first stop, "don't get cute with me, there ain't no rule against killing off _a_ human. Remind _Shiro_ of that, got it?" To make sure his point was driven home he gave her a quick yet firm squeeze before getting off.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"What the hell's wrong with you!?" Shiro shouted as he grabbed her arms and pulled Kagome closer to him, "why didn't you call me the second that bastard showed up?!"

"I left my purse here! Settle down," Kagome ordered before she pushed him away and pointed to the entryway. "My cell's in there."

"You have a landline at home!"

"I don't know your number by heart," she shrugged, "it's not that big of a deal, he didn't hurt me."

"He will," he assured before pressing a hand over his mouth and, once more, began his pacing about the room, mumbling something to himself every now and then.

"Shiro, I'm fine—"

"Kagome," he sighed as he removed his hand and stopped to look at her, "I'm sorry. I… didn't think about this when I met you. I'm a hypocrite, I seal up the well to keep you from danger but just associating with me does that now…" what if he failed to protect her again? What if he had another image of her death forever tattooed to his mind? No, that could never happen.

"Shiro…" she walked up to him and placed her hands on his upper arms, "what was he talking about? The whole 'let him win' this year stuff?"

"Nothing for you to worry about," he promised as he cupped her face in his hands, "I'll keep you safe. I'll just let him win. I wasn't planning to even challenge him this year so it won't be a problem."

"How can it not be something I should worry about if—?"

He pulled her into an embrace before she could finish her sentence, and just like that she forgot what she was going to say.

"Just don't worry. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again. I'll have to teach that damn runt a lesson." No one threatens Kagome and gets away with it, what was that idiot thinking? Did he _honestly_ think that he was scared of some wolf? He almost chuckled at the thought.

"What are you going to do…?" She murmured into his chest as he squeezed her tighter.

"Nothing for you—"

"Please, don't do anything drastic," she sped before pushing away, but he only allowed her enough space so she could look up to him with her pleading hazel pearls, "please don't. He's Kouga's son…"

"Kouga's…?" His brows furrowed.

_The bright sunshine hit them hard, he could see Kagome was at his side but they weren't talking. Everyone was sick of the heat. A breeze made his hair fly about his face and eyes snap shut, when he finally brushed it all out of his view there a wolf demon stood with hands around Kagome's—a stunned yet stupid look upon her face. _

"You knew him, right," he wirily replied as arms slid off of her body.

"Uh-huh," she nodded; weakly she wrapped her arms around herself, "what happened to him…?"

"Kouga?" He murmured before—like she expected—he headed to his favorite spot to pour a glass of whatever was the drink of the day, "he died. I think it was in a pack war… it was a few hundred years ago. Ayame and him had a litter of children, only Takeo's left, he was the runt of the pack, too. I got to say I'm surprised that he lived through everything, but he's a vicious prick so that probably helped…"

"Shiro," she sighed before walking up to him and snatching the glass away as he lifted it to his lip. Right away a frown formed on his lips, "what are you letting him win?"

"Kagome," he scoffed and snatched the glass back right away, "let it _go_."

"No!" echoed exactly with another's.

Mi jumped into the living room to run up to Shiro and wrap her arms around his chest, "Yasha! You can't! You _can't_ give up to Takeo! I hate Takeo! Please! Please! Please—!"

"Shut up, Mi!" He ordered as he pried her away from him, "I'm done, OK?"

"But—!" She had to bit her own lips when she saw the way that his gaze moved to Kagome every other second.

"But…? What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing," they replied together.

"Fine," Kagome jeered, "I'm leaving then."

"Alright," it stopped her right before she was fully out of the living room. _Alright_? Alright? Why wasn't he going to stop her? "But, you have to let me take you home."

"Whatever," she regained her snippety tone.

She made it a point to give him the silent treatment the entire way back and he didn't argue with it, which only made her steaming feeling from inside her grow. He walked her all the way to the door before stopping her with a gentle grasp of his hand.

"What?" Kagome almost growled as she turned to look at him.

"You mean a lot to me," he swore as he took a step forward and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, "there are just something I _can't_ tell you. I would _if_ I could."

"Whatever…" she mumbled as she retracted his hand, "see you later."

"Wait, one more thing," he pulled out a keychain and held it out to her, she wirily looked between and him until he explained, "it's a key to my place, so you can come over whenever you need to. If anything happens, just go to mine and lock yourself in."

"What would happen?" She murmured as she took the chain from him, "Shiro?"

"Just in case," he shrugged.

"Jerk," she scoffed, she could tell again that he was holding back on something.

"Call me if anything happens again," he ordered before she went into her home and closed the door rather harshly in his face.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Kagome," her mother began after knocking on her daughter's door and getting the 'OK' to enter.

"Yes, mom?" She asked as she sat up from her bruiting position on her bed.

"I suppose it's none of my business but," her mom paused as she walked all the way in and closed the door, "are you and Shiro… together by chance?"

"Wha—What?" She chocked before giving off the worst weak laugh of her life, "no, of course not, mom."

"Oh," she nodded with her usual warm smile that she had taught her daughter, "I see. I suppose I was just thinking… that if you were, it would be fine, but if you aren't then I'll just leave. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"Mom!" Kagome shouted before she was fully out the door, "um, it would… be?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I think… it would actually make me very happy, as selfish as it might be. I like Inuyasha," that caused a pang of guilt to course through Kagome's heart, "I do, he's a nice boy. But… if you were with Shiro," her warm smile faded into a meek one, "then I would never have the option of loosing you."

If she was with Inuyasha… they both knew what would happen after the search for the shikon jewel ended. They both knew what Kagome would do; she'd listen to her heart as her mother had taught her and stay in the feudal era with the man she loved. If she was with Shiro, her mother might lose her someday to marriage but that didn't mean she couldn't go visit her daughter—and, possibly, future grandchildren—it would just mean she didn't see her daughter each day. She could live with the latter but the former would break her heart.

And Kagome knew that, too, so she swallowed before smiling, "I'm with Shiro, mom."

"Good, just… be careful," she requested humbly, "I know how boys are nowadays."

"M-mom," Kagome laughed lightly, what an awkward conversation that she just _had_ to stop, "don't worry. You taught me better, I promise."

"Good, good," her mother's rare complete smile—the one that had ceased to show after the well had been opened—shined through for once. "Don't forget, we're going to your aunt's this New Years like always. Will you be coming with us or returning to the feudal era…?"

"I'll be coming with," she assured, "don't worry," and just for her mother sake's she added, "I love you."


	14. Drink

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Thirteen: Drink**

It was futile, she knew it, but that didn't change anything. Still, she knelt in front of the well with her elbows resting on the edge, her chin upon the rough wood, and hazel gaze forever stuck on the ghost chains that no matter how many times she tapped her finger against them she could never touch. What was he doing? Was he worried? He must be, he must have tried to get through a few times, he just might be sitting in the same spot she was just five hundred years too early.

"Kagome?" Souta called out as he opened the door, "you going to go back there now?"

"Nope," she could only wish to do so as she got up to stretch her back.

"Why?" Souta kept up as he jumped down the stairs to walk up the well, his eyes wondering the top of it. She guessed he couldn't see the chains or else he'd mention them. "You get in a fight with Inuyasha again? Why hasn't he come to get you yet? It must have been a pretty big fight, huh?"

"We aren't in a fight," she assured with a weak sigh, "I just… need a break from there, that's all."

"Oh," Souta nodded, "I'm glad," she only heard his whisper right before he ran out of the hut by the time she turned around he was out of sight.

Did she hear him right? He was… glad? Her shoulders sagged as she leaned against the well to rest, her eyes upon the dirty floor; of course he was… he worried about his big sister running around with monsters. Everyone worried about her.

It was a double edged sword, if she stayed in her era those she loved on the other side of the well worried about her but if she jumped through to go meet them then those she loved on this side worried… she wished she never got dragged down it.

Wait, her eyes widened as she stood up straight, no she didn't. She didn't. She was _glad_ it happened, if it didn't she wouldn't have met Inuyasha; if she didn't meet Inuyasha then Shiro wouldn't be with her now—wait… No, it should just be that she wouldn't have met Inuyasha? Oh, she shook her head before running a hand through her tangled locks of ebony; it was too complicated for a seventeen year old girl to have to deal with. And her friends thought they had it bad with _their_ boyfriends.

"Oh, crap," Kagome grunted to herself, speaking of her friends, she was supposed to meet them at the mall thirty minutes ago before she got sidetracked by the sight of the hut.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Mi, this shit doesn't work, there is no such thing," he declared with a slam of his glass upon the counter, "got it? I can't believe you wasted money on that. How much did you get conned for, huh?"

"I didn't get conned! I bought it from an _actual_ mystic! Hina Junko, remember her? She sold it to me; she's a real mystic, right?" Mi argued as she shook the small pink peach shaped crystal bottle.

With a roll of his eyes he nodded, "but that doesn't mean it's a real love potion."

"You don't believe it works?" Mi challenged while she uncorked the bottle, "really?"

"Really," he stressed, "who do you want to use the potion on anyway?"

"You, duh," Mi sassed as she snatched his glass and poured half of it into his glass, "if you don't believe it works then drink it, Mr. Know-it-All."

"Fine," he countered after he took his glass back.

For a moment she was too breathless to reply, "really, Yasha?"

"Really, Mi, it won't work," in all his five hundred years he had never seen a love potion that actually worked. Countless times he had been a victim of attempts, and each time it was useless, so why would this time be any different than the rest? It was always the _real_ mystics that sold the best fakes. With a swift tip of his cup he downed the entire glass before shaking his head—love potions _always_ tasted god-awful and the brandy only helped to dull that slightly.

"Hello?" Kagome called out as she stepped forward in the entry enough to be seen from the kitchen as she removed her shoes.

"No!" Mi cried out while falling to her knees, "you were supposed to look at me first, Yasha! Not her!"

"What?" He huffed, "Mi, get up, I told you that doesn't work. I hope you didn't waste too much money."

"It was your credit card," she muttered to herself before looking up at him with wide almost watery eyes, "so it didn't work… you didn't fall instantly in love with her?"

"Nope."

"No flutter in your heart? No 'oh-la-la' moment? Nothing ?"

He just shook his head as Kagome entered the room to walk over to them, her eyes wirily on Mi, "what's going on?"

"Yasha just drank a love potion, and you ruined it all!" Mi accused as she childishly yet weakly hit Kagome in the legs, "he was supposed to look at me!"

"Mi," he muttered, "knock it off."

"A love potion?" Kagome giggled, "where did you buy it from? One of those strange palm readers?"

"A _real_ mystic!" Mi stated as she jumped up, "but Yasha says it didn't work because he's still not in love with you."

A wince that shouldn't have occurred did as those words collided with her ears; she knew that… she knew Shiro didn't love her but…

"Mi! Get!" Shiro shouted as he waved his hand at her like she was a bug in need of being swatted down, "now!"

"Meanie!" Mi shrieked before jetting out of the room.

"Kagome, Mi—"

"It's alright," she stopped him; she didn't need to hear it, "I don't love you either."

He didn't even try to hide his wince, "ouch, Kagome."

"Whatever, Shiro," she waved him off before heading to the fridge, "the key you gave me works."

"Why would I give you a fake key?" He questioned as he jumped up onto the counter to sit, his eyes following her around as she go out a jug of juice to pour into a cup she found in the cabinet.

She just shrugged and changed the subject, "I'm going to Nishioji for New Years, are you doing anything?" She might be able to convince her mom, again, to let him celebrate the holidays with him but… then again, her excuse about his family being far away wouldn't work because he'd be traveling all across Japan with them to see their family. Oh well, she'd figure something out.

"Kyoto," he simply stated.

"You are going to Kyoto?" She asked as she took a sip of her drink, "why?"

"Friends," he shrugged, "you have family in Nishioji?"

"Yep, you know, they aren't that far from each other. We always go to Kennin-ji, that's in Kyoto. Maybe you could meet us there New Years Eve?"

"No," he said maybe a little too quickly so he tried to take a drink from his glass only to discover it was empty.

An almost too adorable pout formed on her precious lips, "why?"

"I don't celebrate New Years," he decided as he reached to the cabinet closest to him to pull out a bottle of Gin to refill his glass.

"Why?"

"Because I don't," he kept with, downing half the glass in the process.

"But—"

"I celebrated Christmas for you, isn't that enough?"

"Fine," she snapped. "I was just wondering, that's all."

"Kagome—"

"It's fine," she assured again, since malice no longer marked her words he let it go. "By the way… I kind of told my mom we are dating," she murmured with her cup to her lips. She had to tell him, he was supposed to tutor her at her place every once and a while so she had to take the precaution that her mother would mention it, or grandpa, or brother…

A smirk was summoned to his lips for that, "you did?"

"Don't get any funny ideas," she ordered as she set her glass down on the counter next to him rather harshly, "OK? I just said it so my mom would stop worrying about me."

He rose his hand up gently to capture the side of her face in it, "uh-huh, whatever helps you sleep at night. Don't worry, Kagome, I am as loyal as a dog when it comes to relationships."

"Yeah, dogs jump around from girl to girl," she scoffed, which stopped him briefly before he could recover.

"Well… I don't, you are it, Kagome," he murmured, "you are too cute to cheat on."

"You are weird!" She sputtered before knocking his hand away. "I have to leave."

"You just got here," he frowned playfully only to fluster her more.

"I-I'm going to help clean my home, the new year clean, you know," she stuttered some as she walked backwards until she knocked into the wall, "bye."

"Bye," he waved; his grin grew as she fiddled around until she got her shoes on.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

When was the last time she actually participated in the chores of her home? Her little brother that should be spending more time playing with his friends and going out for his school soccer team like he wanted to had to make up for her absence at home and couldn't do what a boy should… she never noticed that until she was around more. Her grandpa, even though he was a healthy old man, had to pull more weight and her warn mother had to, too. After all, her family didn't just have to take care of their home but also the shrine on their property.

It gave her too much time to think. Too much time to wonder why Shiro wouldn't visit New Years Eve and, regrettably, she thought she figured it out. Who wanted to note that another year had passed by after so long? He was waiting all that time for her... each passing year that he failed to find her must have hurt. No, she shook her head whenever she let her thoughts get that far, she couldn't be that important...

It took until late in the night for them to finish their yearly cleaning.

"It's over," she groaned as she flopped face first onto her bed after a long, hot bath, "I forgot how much I hate to clean…"

"That's unfortunate," an almost lull of a voice retorted, causing her instantly to jump up to her knees. It didn't take long for her to notice the breeze that that made her wet her freeze from her open window.

"God, Shiro!" She harshly scoffed before she took one of her pillows off her bed and threw it at his head, "don't scare me like that! And what are you doing here? If my mom catches you then—"

"What? She thinks we're dating, right?" He questioned as he slid off of the window seal and shut the window before sitting down on the bed.

"Exactly why it'd be worse if you if she caught you here!" Kagome declared between clinched teeth as she pushed him back towards the window, "go! Get!"

"I'm not a dog," he teased before capturing her hands and pulling her so close that her body pressed against his.

"Th-That's not what you said earlier today," she muttered as she tried to free herself from his grasp but he was too strong, there wasn't a chance, "Shiro, stop."

"Kagome," he coaxed while their gazes met, that was when she stopped her struggle and pressed her lips, "are you scared or just excited?"

"Y-You are acting weird," she murmured after she turned a cheek to his attempted kiss, "stop."

"Stop what?" he whispered as he moved his lips from her cheek to her ear, "I'll tell you right now that I will not try to take your virginity tonight so just settle down."

"Inuyasha!" she cried, blush covered cheeks as she pushed away from him—which, shockingly, he allowed. It was only after a few stumbled step backwards that she caught what she had just said, her hands sped up to cover her mouth.

She said it; she called him… his name. His eyes were wide but not as much as his grin, "Kagome—"

"Shut up," she muttered behind her hands, "go home."

"No," he shook his head slightly as he walked up to her, she only took one step back to try and be defiant until his hands grasped her arms. She allowed one of his hands to slip to her back as he used his other to pry her hand away from her mouth. Their lips were only a breath away before she closed the gap, again—he noted, but wouldn't allow it to be a sweet and innocent one like before. She fidgeted a bit when he licked at her lips for entrance, which she wouldn't grant. He could tell from her small nudge that she was about to retract her lips from his but he just… refused. Absolutely and completely refused to allow that, his mind was going wild with all the possibilities—hearing her say his name wasn't enough, he'd rather hear it being moaned.

The bed became their new playground before she could gasp for air, "Shiro—"

"Not Shiro," he mumbled before pressing his lips against her neck, she leaned away granting him full access. That only encouraged him, his lips parted so he could taste her skin better, his slightly fanged teeth nibbled at her neck leaving a trail of red marks in his path.

"W-wait," she begged weakly as her hands clasped upon his shoulders to push him only slightly away, not enough that his lips had to leave her skin, just his body from being so pressed against hers.

"What?" he breathed against her skin as he brushed some of her wet strands of hair out of his way, "I'm going to be gentle—"

"Wait, wait, wait," she sputtered, "you said—"

"Sh," he barely got out before pressing his lips to hers to muffle her worries, "I'm not."

"But," her brows lowered as her pouting eyes met his almost more amber than auburns, "then… what are we doing?"

"Preliminary play," he teased.

"What's… that mean?"

"Do you trust me?"

Not really, but he she nodded meekly at him. Her heart had never pounded so much in her life as he started where he left off; slowly he let his hand move down her side until it reached her PJ's bottom button. Thoroughly he began to unbutton them, causing an ever so small spasm from her but she just bit her bottom lip and let him finish until he was on the top one and he hovered above her, his eyes locked with hers for a moment.

"I'll stop," he barely managed to say. Not a single part of him wished to stop but… he might, if she requested it.

"Just… don't take anything off," she murmured with a glance away, her cheeks still pink, "promise?"

"I promise," he nodded, "I'll never hurt you, OK?"

"OK," she barely breathed before his lips collided with her, his hand slid down her flat stomach until his fingers reached the elastic band of her PJ. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies as he moved his hand under the band and into her pants, "wh-what—?"

"Shush," he soothed, "just trust me."

Again, she bit her bottom lip and jerked back some as his hand entered her panties, "wait—"

"I'll stop if you really want me to," he assured but, again, she meekly shook her head, pressed her lips, and shut her eyes.

It wasn't an abandon cabin in the midst of a snow storm but it would do. It was just one of the many memories he'd have to erase and replace with a new one. It was an abrupt plunge that jerked her up when his finger slid in. She wanted, for some reason, not to like it but she did. She wanted not to feel a panting, hot need as a response. She wanted not to instinctively move her hips to his pace. She wanted not to gasp with pleasure as he inserted a second. But she did.

"Kagome," he murmured as his lips trailed again across her neck. Her hands crawled along his back the entire time, every once and awhile—always with a gasp or moan—she'd dug her nails into his back.

"Shiro," she groaned.

Shiro. That nearly killed it for him but… it couldn't, not when she was so close to pleasure under him.

She muffled her cry behind his lips—she'd really hate to wake her family up, she'd really hate to be caught in such a compromising position.

_"Inuyasha!" She cried out as her body arched against his, nothing but the flickering fire lit the scene before him. Her usually well kept ebony waves were a ravished mess, her body was coated with a thin layer of sparking beads of sweat as her hazel eyes locked with his. Her hands were upon the back of his neck to pull his lips down to hers as he mumbled her name. It didn't stop his pace of pounding into her as he pulled her closer._

_"Don't go," she whispered into his human ear, letting her breath brush against his earlobe which sent a shiver of pleasure down his mortal body._

_"I won't," he moaned, "never, K-Kagome."_

_"Promise?" She gasped as his hand gripped her bum to pull her closer to as he kept up with his pace, "Inuyasha!"_

"I gotta leave," he sped the second he freed himself from the tangle they had gotten into.

"What? Why?" She asked as she wirily sat up, "but—"

"I have to leave," he kept up before opening the window and jumping out of it, he didn't even look back at her…

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"You did something naughty with your boyfriend, didn't you?" Eri interrogated with a wicked grin, "I can tell from your body language."

"That and you are wearing a turtleneck today," Michko added with a smirk to match, "good job, Kagome."

"N-No," Kagome stuttered, "not at all."

"Liar," Sachiko giggled as she grabbed her friend's arm, "you didn't do it with him, did you?"

"That's always a bad idea early in the relationship especially when it's your first time and the guy is so much older."

"Yeah," Ayumi agreed, "he'll just dump you then."

"No, I didn't… do that," she assured with a weak muttered, "just drop it, guys."

"You let him finger—"

"Guys!"

"Kagome," Ayumi laughed, "you don't need to be so shy! We've all done it. Come on, we're here to help. Did something go wrong? Did you not like it? Was he too rough?"

"No," she murmured, "nothing like that."

"Then what?"

"He," she paused—should she tell them? Why not, right? They were her friends, they were more experienced in the situation, and they wanted to help so…? "He just left afterwards, right away…"

"Oh," they almost all murmured as they exchanged a wirily look before Ayumi spoke for them, "that's no good."

"Dump him," Eri instructed, "I was afraid of this when I saw him. The age difference is the key; he just wants to mess around with a high schooler. You don't want that for your first boyfriend."

"Maybe your next, though," Sachiko put in.

"But not your first, dump him."

They didn't know anything, Kagome was sure of that as she held her breath; Shiro had been waiting for her for over five hundred years. Of course he didn't just want to mess around with her then leave but then… why _did_ he leave?

"Hey," she cringed at the sound of the rough, rusty voice as a hand grasped her shoulder and yanked her free of Sachiko.

"Takeo," Kagome groaned as she smacked his hand away, "I don't feel like dealing with you right now, go away."

"Come with me," he ordered and without permission snatched her hand and dragged her away.

"Takeo!"

"Who was that?" Michiko inquired as they just stood there to watch them disappear in the crowd, "should we have stopped that?"

"He was cute," Sachiko marveled, "Kagome's got game."

"Why does she always have guys falling all over themselves for her?" Ayumi sighed, "is it because she's cuter than us or a virgin?"

"Virgin," Eri stated, "she clearly knew him so I think she'll be fine. Maybe she can dump that Shiro guy and get with him."

"Takeo!" Kagome shrieked once more before kicking him in the back of the knee.

"Hey, woman!" He shouted back as he retracted his hand from her wrist to grab his leg, "you! You—!"

"You are the one that dragged me from my friends! What do you want now, huh!? If you want to send another warning to Shiro do it yourself!" It was her pent up frustration that she blamed the outburst on, the force behind her scream, too. When she opened her eyes she saw Takeo wide-eyed and a half-step away.

"Damn, woman," he held his hand up and took another step away, "I came to apologize, OK?"

"Apologize…?"

"Apologize," he repeated with a nod but only because he had to. He really should have known better than to screw with Inuyasha's woman but he couldn't help himself, not that it mattered either way, he got to what he wanted in the end, anyway.

"Apology accepted, then," she nodded as she took a breath, "I'm sorry for yelling at you then."

"OK but… just 'cause I like a feisty one," he winked as he reached out to brush a strand of ebony waves out of her still mildly flustered face, "I'm going to give you a heads up about a little something. You are probably going to want to tell your bastard—"

"Boyfriend," she corrected weakly.

"Whatever, that you," he flicked her nose then, "are on Ohachi's list."

"Ohachi…?" she dragged out as she rubbed her nose, "what's that even mean?"

"Your dog'll know what it means," he assured with a step closer, "how about you dump that guy and I'll show you a good time instead, huh?"

"As if," she scoffed with narrowed eyes.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

It was only, _only_, because Takeo had said such a weird thing earlier that she bothered to go to his place. She really hadn't intended to, she really didn't want to be the one crawling back to see him but… she was. Weakly, she lifted her hand to knock upon the door. The key that opened it was securely within her purse but she just couldn't bring herself to use it for some reason. As she half anticipated, it wasn't Shiro who answered.

"Don't you have a key?" Mi sassed as she stepped aside to allow Kagome to step in.

"I'm not staying, I just wanted to tell Shiro something, that's all," she assured, that was why she didn't even bother to walk out of the entryway or take off her shoes, "so, where is he?"

"Out, if you just wanted to tell him something then call him," Mi suggested.

That was a rather brilliant idea, if only she was used to having a cell she would have done that right away. At least this way she wouldn't have to see him, so she whipped out her phone and pressed '2' on speed dial.

"Hello?" she froze at the sound of his voice, "Kagome, hello?... Kagome?"

"Yeah, sorry," she started, "uh, I ran into Takeo."

"Did he apologize?"

"Yep, what'd you do to make him…?" She murmured as she began to fiddle with the objects on the table in front the entry that, a few sets of keys, then there was a few pieces of mail.

"I'm a persuasive guy," he chuckled, "is that all?"

"No," she dragged out with a small sigh. An already opened letter caught her attention, her hazel gaze wondered around to make sure that Mi was out of sight before she picked it up and examined the postage-free envelop; it also had nothing written on the front.

"What else…?"

"You sound busy," she grumbled as she began to flip the envelop around in her hand, "I'll call you later."

"I'm not, what is it?" He only allowed her a millisecond to respond before he guessed, "it's last night, huh? I'm sorry."

"Why would you be apologizing?" She purposely scoffed right as the letter inside it slid out just a fraction, again her eyes scanned around her. It was wrong, she knew it, but she pulled it all the way out to look at the finely written letter.

"Because I left right away," he mumbled, "look, I can explain that."

"Sure, whatever," she kept up her sassy attitude. Her brows furrowed as she scanned over it, an invitation to the Yearly Summit? What was that…?

"Kagome, seriously—"

"I don't want to talk about it over the phone," she didn't want to talk about it at all.

"Then what is it?"

"What is what?" Her eyes kept going about the paper, it didn't say much more. Just a Yearly Summit, At the Mushon Spring Inn in Kyoto, December 31st.

"What is…? Didn't you have something else to say?"

"Oh, right, um, Takeo wanted me to tell you that I'm on somebody's list… Shiro, you still there?"

"What's that's supposed to mean?"

"Someday named… Ohana… No, Ohachu, no—"

"Ohachi?"

"Yeah, that's it, what's that mean—?"

"Where are you?"

That stopped her for a bit, "walking around."

"Get to my place, now."

Not a problem, "I guess I could do that."

"I'm not joking, Kagome, do it, now. I mean pronto, where are you exactly?"

"Is it really that big—"

"Kagome, _where_ are you?"

With a puff she replied, "right outside your place."

"Really?"

"She's here, Yasha!" Mi shouted as she pocked her head into the entry.

"Good, great, I'll be there soon, stay put." She hadn't time to protest because he hung up.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"You look like death," an alluring woman whispered in the darkness, "what happened?"

"Just give me the potion," Shiro countered as he put his phone into his pocket, "quickly, Junko."

"Tsk, tsk, Inuyasha, you are such an impatient soul," she taunted as she held a blue, slender, bottle above his hand, which he snatched almost right away, "I'm insulted that you think I would sell a fake."

"If that was a love potion then... then—"

"You've never known what love is?" Junko guessed with a small wink, "well, don't worry. Love potions don't really exist."

"So... what was that thing you sold Mimiko?"

A small smile rose up on her raspberry lips that she bit down, "well, about that..."


	15. Defense

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Fourteen: Defense**

"Give me _that_!" He beckoned as he lunged for the pretty, pink, peach shaped bottle that Mi kept just out of his reach, a glittering grin on her face the entire time.

"Why, Yasha?" Mi teased before spinning around, almost as if she was dancing, until the sofa separated him from her, "why? _Why_? Did it _work_?"

"No!" Damn that little minx, she might not be able to beat him in a fight but she could forever out run him, "Mi, give it!"

"What _are_ you guys doing?" Kagome sighed; here she thought she was in some _grave_ danger, after all, he had made such a big deal about her getting to his place. Fifteen minutes later, he busted through his door, slammed it shut, locked it and went after Mi for her supposed 'love' potion. For nearly twenty minutes she had both been ignored and ignored their stupidity, trying her best to stay in the kitchen scoffing about this and that mentally to herself until she simply could not take it anymore.

"Yeah, _Yasha_, what _are_ you doing?" Mi taunted, again snatching the bottle just out of his reach. Unfortunately, she bumped into the wall, stopping her just long enough for him to finally grasp the bottle. "Aw, Yasha!"

"Shiro!" Kagome shouted as she stomped on the floor rather harshly, "what! Is! Going! On!?"

That got him to turn to her, finally, "settle down, Kagome!"

"Why are you the one yelling!?"

"I'm just going to go now," Mi murmured to herself as she took a few steps to the side until she could sneak out the closest door.

He opened his mouth to protest something else but he got the feeling that a fuming Kagome was something worth fearing so he took a deep breath, let it out, and cooled down, "sorry."

Sorry… sorry was so un-Inuyasha, it almost made her frown. Inuyasha would have bickered with her for quite a while more before they either just gave up on to the endless pointlessness or one would storm off. She supposed that after five hundred years learning to control his temper was something that she should praise him for but… it was wrong. "So… what's going on?"

"Nothing," he assured while hiding his hands behind his back, the peach bottle along with them, "how's your day goin'?"

Really? _Really_? He was going to try that? First, he disappears after last night… that was enough to make her blood cease to sizzle.

"Kagome?"

"Do I have to stay?" She murmured, finally allowing her glance to move away from him.

"Last night…" in the past he might have been the densest man in the world, but through time he figured out that doing pretty much anything intimate with a woman then bailing shortly after and not even calling the next day was a rather big 'no-no' particularly when said girl was a virgin.

"Look," she sped out, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Kagome—"

"I'm leaving!" With her arms thrown up in the air she turned around and headed out of the living room, she only got to where her shoes were located until she felt him pull her back into a rather tight embrace, "s-stop!"

"I'm sorry," he muttered into her ear. Gods, how she hated herself for letting that make her heart skip a beat, "it's just if I stayed any longer I would have gone crazy. You smelled way too good and I promised not to do anything more, remember? If I had stayed I wouldn't have kept my word."

That wasn't romantic, so if that was what he was going for he failed rather miserably and she made a point of showing him that by smacking him in the gut with her elbow, "whatever! I don't care!"

"It's not fully my fault anyway!"

Her entire body twitched at that before she took a deep breath, "are you blaming me!? It was your idea! You pervert! Showing up at my window like that then! Then! Then…" with a wave of her hand she tried to get away but, again, he grabbed her.

"It's this," he dangled the peach bottle in front of her face.

She rolled her eyes, "love is not having sex, Shiro! Even if that love potion worked you should have been charming or something not—!"

"I told you that type of thing doesn't exist."

"Then what is that?" Kagome dragged out with folded arms, "hm? Just take responsibility for your stupidity," his heartless actions, his narrow-sex-minded self.

"You aren't going to believe me," he assured but her stern, solid stare did not falter, "it's a… lust potion. Love and lust kind of go hand in hand, ya' know? So Junko sells it off for the real deal to screw with people. I had to go get a counter-potion from her today... I couldn't stop thinking about you that night so I went to see you and that's why we did what we did and I thought I'd handle myself better, I usually do, but damn, Kagome, you smelled _really_ good last night. I would have ripped you to shreds probably, I mean, I am a demon and you're really frail—"

"Stop," she rose her hand up, "you are right, I don't believe you at all."

"Awesome, you drink this and we'll see how you react," he tempted while shaking the bottle in front of her face, "seriously, if you don't believe me, just take a few sips."

"No," she shrieked.

"Why?"

She shook her head, "because I say so."

"Then you believe me?"

"No!"

"Why would I lie about this? It's a ridiculously terrible one! If I was going to lie I'd make up something you'd believe." He knew he could have formulated the perfect lie if he felt like it, something that would get him out of the dog house without a problem; he was grand at that type of thing. But, really, he'd love to get her to drink the potion—what would a lustful Kagome be like? Perhaps he should put a few drizzles in her next drink…

"Shiro," she mildly whined, "you are _impossible_."

"Fine," he sighed, "fine, let's put that to the side for a moment, OK? When are you leaving for your family trip?"

Wirily, her eyes narrowed upon him, "…tomorrow."

"Do you have to go?"

"What do you mean 'do I have to go'?" She scoffed, "I want to go, in less, you are willing to open the well—"

"Not happening," he assured before a pause, "fine, then, I'm going with you."

"No you aren't!" Maybe she had thought about bring him before but surely not now, "what makes—"

"I'm not going as a part of the family or anything; I'm just going to monitor to make sure nothing happens to you."

She didn't even need to ask, the way she cocked a brow with hardly pressed lips said it all.

"Do you not remember what Takeo told you?"

"Right," she nodded, "that whole Ohachi's list thing… what does that mean?"

"It's bad," he coaxed out before taking a step closer to her, "please trust me on this. It's a _really_ bad thing; I need to have an eye on you at all time to make sure you are alright."

"Will you tell me what that whole 'list' thing is about?"

It took a little while for him to reply, his auburn mixed amber gaze focusing on her hazels, "I can't."

Her brows twitched before snorting, "_what_? If my life's in danger then why—"

"It's complicated," he muttered.

It was only, _only_, because she thought he looked truly sorry that she let it go. It was only, _only_, because her life was at danger that she agreed to let him do his weird 'tag-along' thing on the trip. It was only, _only_, because he said it'd be hazardous for her to walk home that night that she called and lied to her mother by saying she was spending the night at Eriko's house but instead stayed at his. It was only, _only_, because they were watching a movie and he happened to fall asleep that she let him sleep in her lap… it was only because of that she slept all night on the rather comfortable couch with him

{xoxoxoxoxoxoxox}

"Auntie Aniko!" Kagome gleamed as her and her family exited the taxi. It was so different than her family's home in the busy city of Tokyo. Her father's family had always lived out in the countryside, in a lovely, cozy home within a grove of greenery. Truly, it was one of her favorite places to go when she was a child.

"Kagome! How you have grown!" Her aunt, who looked just like her but older, laughed, "you look so beautiful!"

"Thank you, auntie," she smiled back before hugging her, "it's been too long."

"It has," she assured as she bent down to hug Souta then greet her grandpa and mother.

As grand of a time she had with her family that day, she couldn't help but constantly glance out to the trees in hopes of getting a glimpse of where Shiro was. He _had_ to be out there, he said he'd be watching her, protecting her, but… he could mask his aura and was never in clear sight so throughout the day she never once saw him.

Well, that was until she bid her family a goodnight to go to her private room. She really shouldn't have been surprised to see him at her window no more than a minute after she got down changing into her PJs.

"If you were watching me while I was changing I swear to—" A searing Kagome growled as she opened the window.

"Of course I wasn't," he muttered her before sliding in the window, then shutting it, "I have to keep an eye out for any weird activity."

"You can't stay," she whispered harshly, "you have to leave."

"I just came to make sure you—"

"Obviously, I'm fine, now go!" Kagome kept up, still in close to a hush, as she pushed him towards the window.

"Kagome?" Souta beckoned from the door, "what's Shiro doing here?"

Both froze before Kagome cringed.

"Hey," Shiro replied for them as he turned around, brushing off the still stunned girl and kneeling down in front of Souta, "I've got family in the area so I came here for the holidays."

"How'd you get in here?"

"Window."

Souta nodded wirily before his eyes wondered around his face, a narrowed gaze formed, "that's…" very Inuyasha like and now that Souta stopped to think about it… Shiro looked a lot of him, just what he figured a human Inuyasha would. Just to make sure he yanked on Shior's ears rather abruptly.

"Hey," he scowled as he grasped his ears, "what was that?"

"Nothing… just making sure," Souta nodded before looking up to his sister, "you guys have fun…"

"I don't think he's going to tell your mom," he shrugged right as a slap on his head came, "Kagome! You are violent."

"Shush!" She retorted before placing her hand on top of his mouth, "if anyone else sees you I'm dead, OK? _Leave_." He mumbled something behind her hand so she sighed, rolled her eyes, and pulled her hand away, "_what_?"

"Alright," he scoffed, "I just wanted to make sure you are OK."

"Obviously, I am."

He snickered what she just said to himself as he head to the window, jerking his head to the side just in time to avoid the pillow she threw at him. Really, he'd ask if she was PMSing if it weren't for the fact that he couldn't smell any blood. Right away he felt rather bad about that thought, he could guess what was bothering her so much.

"Kagome," he turned around to meet a glare he'd rather not know she was giving him, it stopped him for a moment before he could remember what he was going to say, "let me take you on a date tomorrow, to make up for… you know."

"No," she stated quickly, folding her arms upon her chest before turning a cheek to him, "I'm going to spend time with my family while I'm here not _you_."

"Kagome," he dragged out until she looked back to him, still sizzling a little, "I swear I would have much rather stayed the _entire_ night with you."

As much as she'd rather not, she was sure she blushed at that comment.

"I promise I won't do anything inappropriate at all tomorrow, not a thing, we don't even have to kiss," he tilted to the side a little so she had to look at him, "please, Kagome?"

"M-Maybe," she murmured, "but for now leave, OK?"

And he did, after making sure she'd lock the window after he left. Her bed faced the window, but still, not once before she fell asleep did she see Shiro lingering out there.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm sorry, this is a rather weak chapter. I just wanted to update since it's been a while. I've temporarily lost my muse for this story... I blame it on the fact finals are coming up. I should be able to write more when those are over and winter break begins. Either way, I hope you keep enjoying the story. 


	16. Divulge

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Fifteen: ****Divulge**

"Mushon Spring Inn," Kagome mused as they lingered in front of a secluded, ancient looking traditional building. "This seems inappropriate, Shiro."

"It is very," he sighed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer, "I really shouldn't have brought you here but…"

"Wait, what's that mean?" She jeered as she elbowed him in the gut but he wouldn't let her wiggle her way out of his grip. It was New Years day and she had finally agreed to that date that would supposedly make everything alright. She was under the impression they were going to go to temple for the day so she wore a peach colored cotton yukata with an elaborate series of deep pink colored flowers and green leaves with her hair pinned up with beaded pendants.

He just took another breath; never did his auburn-amber gaze leave the inn before them, "Kagome…"

"What's going on," she pestered on while she kept trying to get away, "Shiro!"

"Look, I'm bringing you to a de," he pressed his lip before finally bothering to look over to her, "this is going to sound crazy to you."

"I go back and forth between time periods, _what_ could you possibly say that would shock me?"

That was a valid point but he still bit his bottom lip some before finally managing to work his vocal cords again, "every year each country holds a conference where all the demons—well, a great majority—that are left attend. You aren't really supposed to bring a human but… It would probably be a very bad idea if I left you unattended for a day."

"Wait, I'm going to that thing with you?" The only human in an inn full of demons? Why did that not sound like fun to her? "What happens at these things? Why can't you just leave me be for a day?"

"Questions, questions, questions," he grunted, "remember that whole Ohachi's list nonsense? If you come with me today there is a…" he paused to debate to himself for a while, "maybe a third of a chance we'll be able to sort this whole matter out."

"I still don't get what that's all about," she murmured with a pout but she did give up on trying to get his arm away from her, instead she leaned into his embrace. "What'll happen today?"

"It'll boring as hell but just stay near me and everything will be fine," he assured before taking his first step towards the inn, "don't worry you won't be the only human… there will be maybe two or three others."

"How many demons?" She pondered but as soon as they got to the door it hit her, as if they transcended through a barrier that blocked the auras. She almost fell to the ground from the intense amount of demons, "what? A hundred?"

"About that much," he muttered before opening the door for her. There was only one person in the lobby hidden behind the desk. An old hunched man with thick glasses who Shiro went to right away, "hi, I'm Inuyasha checking in for the summit."

"And that?" the man grumbled as he nodded towards Kagome.

"She's with me," he stated firmly.

The man grumbled something along the lines of 'if it was anyone else his pet wouldn't be allowed' as he went to get the key and hand it to him. "Third floor."

"Thank you," he mumbled back before taking one of Kagome's hands and leading her to the stairs.

"Oh my," she gasped while they entered what appeared to be his room. It was a traditional room yet… splendid, there was a perfect view of the forest behind the Inn and even of the steaming hot spring. The futon was spacious, the table was large, and the décor was epic. "Wow… wait, are we staying here for a night?"

"I am, I don't know about you," he retorted after he finished checking about the room for something, "so… I suppose we have to go downstairs now."

"I'm still confused at what we are doing here," she complained.

"It'll be boring; you could say that the demon way has become something close to a democracy." He began to explain as they went back down the stairs, "we've split up every country into districts and each district has a… mayor, so to say, to watch over it. Each country has a primary… ruler, I suppose. Each of these things expire at different times, this year the bid for ruling Japan and half of its districts are up so there'll just be a few people giving stupid speeches saying why they should have which post. It's nothing to worry about; it just keeps everything in order for us."

"Oh," now, really, that was odd to her. Demons _voting_? Weren't they supposed to be creatures of chaos? "Have you ever had one of these posts?"

"Uh, yes, one," he confessed meekly before they went into the theater sized room that was only half full. "Let's sit in the back," he nodded for her to take the final row but only allowed her to go five seats in.

"What post?" she had to admit, she was a bit excited to see this even if it was supposed to be boring. After all, how many could say they have seen demons voting on something?

"Ruler of Japan," he muttered so low that she didn't catch it the first time so he said it only slightly louder. Right away, like he thought, her eyes widened and she gawked at him, "look, I was bored, it seemed like a good idea at the time but it's only gotten boring, too."

"Wait," she gawked, "you have that post now?"

He just shrugged lightly.

"Shouldn't you be a bigger part of this ceremony, then?"

"No, there's this council of demons that really deal with all of this stuff for us. They are like… the UN for us, three go to each of the conference worldwide today to monitor it. That way whoever the current ruler is doesn't make things bias and whatnot."

"Wow, I'm impressed," she awed while she tapped his shoulder lightly, "that's really grand Shi—"

"You must call me Inuyasha today, that's how everyone knows me," he stated sternly with a firm glance to her, "please, Kagome."

Call him… Inuyasha… all day? She bit her bottom lip but nodded nevertheless, "at least I don't feel over dressed anymore." Plenty of other people wore fine traditional outfits, some silk kimonos, others flawless kariginus, and others in western styled clothes. Really, if anything, she felt under dressed all of a sudden. Expect for Shi—Inuyasha, she shook her head lightly. He wore a fine pair of jeans, a blue suit jacket and a brown graphic-T below it. It was rather dashing on him.

"I was pretty happy when I saw you dressed up like that," he grinned while his auburn almost amber wondered about her yukata.

"Is that a perverse comment?" She inquired with narrowed eyes, "because—"

"No," he assured, "you look beautiful today, I'm proud to have you by my side."

Her cheeks reddened at that so much that she turned away from him, pretending to just examine the elaborate design of the theater. She had to inquire, though, "even though I'm a human?"

"Even though," he whispered back before leaning his head against her shoulder, "wake me if anyone bothers you."

"Hey," she whispered—since he was—with a small jiggle of her shoulder, "is this what Kouga's son was talking about? Takeo? That whole competition thing, does it have to do with this?"

"Yeah," he nodded as he folded his arms and closed his eyes, "he wants to have my post and I've beaten him for the past hundred and fifty—"

"Oh my lord, you've had that position for _that_ long?"

"I've been very bored, it's not that daunting a deed as it seems. There aren't more than a hundred to a hundred and twenty demons in Japan at all time. It's really a breeze; I bestow most of my work off to the mayors of districts. It's pretty easy."

"Lazy bum," she jabbed.

"Lazy, tired, bum," he yawned, "like I said, wake me if someone bothers you, otherwise leave me be."

"Is it really OK for the _ruler_ of Japan to sleep during this?" she mocked.

"I'm giving up the post so it doesn't matter. If it wasn't for this whole Ohachi's list thing I wouldn't even bother with being here."

"Will you tell me what that means?"

"Will you let me sleep?" He bickered back.

"Hey, look it's Akiko!" Kagome nudged his head but didn't get him to open his eyes, "is that why she's returned to Japan?"

"She wants district five, it's pretty much all of Hokkaido, it's weird how she enjoys the cold climate when she's a fire demon but whatever… now, _let_ me sleep."

"Fine, fine…"

{xoxoxoxoxo}

It was interesting for the first three or so speeches, each of them having less to do with the 'peace and prosperity' they could bring to the area—like most politicians preached about—but instead about their demonic powers, their heritage, their accomplishments and their ages. There were at least five for each district and one of the nine even had _ten_ people. Each speech lasted between ten to twenty minutes, too. She even almost fell asleep before she noticed a man had sat down next to her sometime ago yet she hadn't even sensed him. She jumped some but didn't stir the still slumbering Shiro.

"I am sorry," he replied in a soothing voice before a charismatic smile creased his face. He had long flowing golden locks and bright, piercing, blue eyes. He appeared to be maybe twenty-five but who knew when it came to demons? She smiled lightly back to him and nodded but wasn't able to greet the feminine looking man back, "you are Higurashi Kagome? You must be since you are here with Inuyasha."

For a moment she struggled to find her breath before she nodded, he had told a lot of people that he was looking for her, after all. It wasn't that weird that the man put two and two together—she was a female, human, and with Inuyasha, _obviously_ she was the Kagome he was looking for. "Yes, yes that's me."

"I am Ohachi Hiroyuki," he bowed his head ever so slightly, his voice was sweet and coated with candor, his smile was almost angelic, yet the name struck fear in the depth of her chest. "From that expression I'm guessing you know of me?"

"Just… something about a list of yours?" She surmised, never letting her smile fade fully.

"You are a lovely lady, no wonder Inuyasha is so enchanted but… you see," he pondered as he leaned closer to her, "it does become a bit of a problem for us once a human gets so close to a demon. It's one thing to have so many one night stands and produce an illegitimate heir by mistake. Usually, that problem is taken care of with ease and the half-demon child is taken into our society. It often does not become a problem but when… a human learns so much about us and ensnares one of the best of us that becomes… something to show concern towards. Do you understand? Since our numbers plummeted we try to conduct ourselves behind closed doors… discretely, that is how we run things. Only some humans are in on our secret. Only very prestigious ones at that," it took some time for that to sink in. Behind his sweet tone was a rather rude implications—_you_ aren't prestigious.

"I… see," she smiled with a nod, "is there… something wrong?"

"Do you know what it means to be on my list? I'm assuming from the ease in which you use to talk to me then Inuyasha has held true to our laws and didn't tell you."

She simply shook her head, only a few strands that her aunt had calculatedly left hanging out of her hairdo swayed.

"Ah," he sat up straight once more as he folded his hand in his lap, "it means I am to evaluate you, to decide if you should be allowed our secrets."

"And what if you… decide that I am not fit?"

His smile didn't fault a bit, "you'll disappear from this world."

She didn't have a chance to reply before he was gone, just like that, her eyes scanned about the room but she couldn't find the pretty man anywhere. Did he just threaten her?

"Kagome, I won't let anything happen to you," she heard the apparently no longer sleeping man assure as he sat up, "the only reason I'm here is to _reason_ with Ohachi and prove you'll be fine."

"What type of people does he usually approve?"

He rubbed his eyes free of sleep before looking over at her, "honestly? Usually only high-society, rich, affluent people that can help us with long term investments, politics, and excreta."

"Well… I'm none of those things," she sighed before leaning back in the comfortable red cushioned seat some more.

"Don't worry, I have my own power of persuasion," he bragged some, "I have been the ruler of Japan for over a hundred and fifty years. Remember how I told you about that council? The one like the UN?"

"Yes," she dragged out dismally.

"He's one of the three that's here today."

"Does that mean he outranks you or something?"

Inuyasha nodded, "but don't worry, I really will never let anything happen to you," he stated as his eyes locked with her. In that moment… she believed him completely.

She knew that she was as safe as could be, even if she was in the midst of over a hundred demons.

How strange, hm?

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"You really ain't going to go up there?" Takeo taunted as he rested his elbow on the back of Inuyasha's chair and leaned over to grin widely.

"Hello, Takeo," Kagome greeted as she leaned forward some to see him, he smiled, nodded to her, and winked.

"Fuck off," Inuyasha growled, "I'm not."

"I suppose I have you to thank for that, huh? Miss Kagome," without effort he jumped over to sit in the empty seat beside her, "you convinced him not to run, right? You are a very hot—"

"Hit on her and I will kill you," Inuyasha warned as he leaned forward to glare deeply at Takeo.

Déjà vu, Kagome sighed slightly as she sunk into her seat, how come even after Kouga was long gone Inuyasha had to find a way to argue with one of his heirs? Over her, nonetheless… though, it was still nice to know he got jealous of her.

"You have some mighty big balls to bring her here," Takeo jested, "she might be a little hottie but she's still a human. They really aren't supposed to come here."

"Like I'd leave her alone," Inuyasha scoffed.

"What? Do you got someone out for your girl?" Takeo questioned with a smirk, "it would be the perfect day to attack if you were locked away in this inn, huh?"

"Fuck off," Inuyasha repeated with a bit of a roar.

"Wait, is someone out to get me?" Kagome complained, "why don't you tell me when my life is in danger! You can't keep handling it by yourself, you should have the common curtsy to tell me if my association with you is deadly!"

"Yeah, dog boy," Takeo agreed, winning a nod from Kagome and even a smile. "You know, I'd treat you—"

"Go away _now_, Takeo or I'll get up there and say I'm running again," he snarled and with quiet the glare Takeo reluctantly got up and moved out of the row with a simple human speed.

"Inuyasha—" she stopped when she saw the smile it got out of him to just hear her call him by his true name, it almost made her heart flutter but, no, no, she's supposed to be upset with him, "you—"

"I swear there's nothing else going on besides Ohachi. If he wants to take you out he'd do it today while I'm distracted, he knows you obviously matter a great deal to me if I'm willing to take you in and let you know everything. I'm making a statement by bring you here today, too. I trust you. Completely, fully, utterly, with my deepest secret. Demons would be hunted and killed by any human, there are still demon hunters out there that know about us but I trust you. I know you'd never do anything to hurt me or my kind. You are a good person, Kagome, I just need them to see that."

He… looked so serious and spoke with such candor that it… really struck at her core to have him leaning so close to her and praising her so… she never thought about how she could hurt him by knowing he was a demon… she never even really considered it a secret up until that point. Obviously, she wouldn't go around telling people or anything but…

"Inuyasha…" she whispered. "I trust you, too."

"Good," he smiled softly before leaning in just enough for their lips to meet. "Kagome," he whispered as he pulled away, "I might not remember everything that transpired between us but that doesn't mean that you haven't…" enchanted him, but he pressed his lips and rephrased it, "that I don't care about you."

"Inu…" but she couldn't. She couldn't say the same thing back… she wasn't sure. Inuyasha—the past version—still held the strongest hold on her heart but… he was starting to come in as a very close second.

"Stay here, don't wonder from that spot, OK?" He requested as he stood, "I have to go give Akiko my endorsement."

"Enjoy," she smiled briefly. Now, actually seeing _Inuyasha_ give a speech might be of some interest.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Thank god for food," Kagome wistfully whispered as she glanced about the restaurant within the inn after all was said and done. It took all day for the speeches to get over with. "I'm so hungry."

"I know, they really drag that thing out, huh?" Inuyasha sighed as he glanced over the meal they had ordered.

"This is expensive stuff," she awed, "I bet this is a really expensive place to stay, too, huh?"

"It's demon run, we always have the summits at a demon owned place."

"Oh," she coaxed, "so… do you guys vote on stuff tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but don't worry, I'm talking to Ohachi later tonight so I hope that you'll be able to leave."

"Wait, wait, wait, am I going to have to stay here over night?"

"No," he shook his head, "if Ohachi and I sort everything out tonight I'll take you home."

"You make it sound like everything is alright but you've been freaking out forever about this," she muttered.

"It'll be alright," and even if he was fearful of a private chit-chat with Ohachi he'd never tell her.

"You finish your meal," he requested as he got up, "stay here, OK? Takeo is across the room with Akiko," he pointed to them, "if anything happens they'll jump in."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go talk to Ohachi, it shouldn't take too long," he smiled briefly to her, grasping her shoulder as he walked by to the lingering, grinning, man on the opposite side of the room. He waited for Ohachi to head out of the room first before following him and closing the door thin rice paper door to the private party room.

"How is she of use to our kind?" Ohachi started right away with a slight nod towards the door, his arms loosely folded. He wore a crème colored Italian tailored suit that fit his slim figure flawlessly, "she's not from an affluent family, she's not well off, she's—"

"A powerful priestess," Inuyasha interrupted. Somehow that just came to him…

"_Inuyasha!" Her darling voice shouted through the purple mist, stopping him dead in his track. Just barely did he dodge a tentacle that shot out from the hidden fog._

"_Is that your bitch, Inuyasha?" An malice filled chuckle echoed about, "shall I kill her like the last?"_

"_Fuck you," he barked back before sprinting forward only to see a burst of pink flashing from his left. A shrill cry almost made his ear bleed. The scent of half-demon blood flowed about before he turned around to try and find Kagome's scent that mixed far too much the poison in the air. Why? Why? Did he have such a pulsing need to get her away from the miasma? He couldn't be sure why but he really, really, really _needed_ to get far, far away._

"_Kagome!"_

"_Inuyasha?" She called out, he could hear the pitter patter of her feet against the barren ground. "Where are you!?"_

"_Why did you come back you goddamn moron!?"_

"_You as—" then there was another scream and a new scent of fresh… fresh _human_ blood in the air. No, no, no, no…_

"_Kagome!?"_

"_I told you, Inuyasha," that menacing male mocked. "Now I'll just take—"_

"Inuyasha," Ohachi questioned again, "what did you just say?"

"She's a very powerful priestess; you know a few of those are left."

Ohachi rolled his coffee colored eyes before sighing, "is that so?"

"I am completely serious, can't you tell form her aura she's special?"

"I did notice a strange tinge to it," he mused while his eyes wondered to the paper thin door. His smile flickered to a smirk, "what can she do?"

"You should see what she can do with a bow and arrow," he let his cocky grin arise, "I swear, Ohachi, I'll vouch for her."

"Priestess tend to go against our kind."

"Kagome would never go against me," he assured.

"Don't tell me you're in love with a priestess," Ohachi mocked, "you have never been the sentimental time type. I can't recall you ever staying with a girl for long."

"I adore her," he murmured, "Ohachi… I won't let anything happen to Kagome."

"Is that a threat?" Ohachi hummed, "how sweet."

"Ohachi… I need Kagome to be approved, for her to be fine."

"You gave up running for your usual post for her, to stay near her, right? She's still just a human; she'll die in what seems like a blink of an eye."

"I know," he whispered as he took a step back, "that's why I have to… make sure she's OK now and that I can be here with her for as natural life allows."

"Inuyasha," Ohachi chuckled, "you'd be with her when she's old and wrinkled?"

"Yes," his serious tone stopped Ohachi's good cheer right away.

"Fine," he sighed, "you take all the fun out of everything. Fine, fine, I'll allow it. She's safe."

"I have your guarantee?"

"You have my word and my word is gold, Inuyasha, you know that. You're little priestess will be safe."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Seriously, Kagome, I can take you home," Inuyasha assured as she closed the door to his rented room, "it's not midnight yet, you can still be with your family—"

"I want to be with you tonight," Kagome protested meekly as she spun around midway in to the room with a smile, "I want to spend New Years with you."

She looked surreal to him at the moment as if she radiated with an ancient, rare and natural beauty that only appeared in a human once in a blue moon. Usually, she looked childish when she smiled or something… something but right at that moment she looked divine and far older than she was—as if the age of her soul showed.

Curiosity killed the cat, she knew that, but she couldn't help but devour down whatever was left on her plate before she sped across the room to linger at the paper thin door. It didn't even take much effort to hear their conversation… to hear all he said, to hear how he cared, how he'd risk himself for her, what he gave up. She thought she was the only one that had lost anything but he… she wanted to be with _him_ now. Past-Inuyasha wasn't even a blimp on her raider as they walked towards each other to meet. Their eyes locked squarely together.

Was it wrong? She didn't care.

Her arms wrapped around his neck as she leaned in to kiss him, his hands wondered around her waist. Fumbled steps led them to the area with the futon so he could gently set her down on it, discarding his suit jacket along the way and the pendants from her hair so an array of ebony waves could frame her pretty face.

"Tell me when to stop," he whispered.

"I don't want you to," she sincerely replied as she grabbed one of his free hands to in both of hers. Her alluring eyes outlining his hand before her fingers did, "not tonight, Inuyasha."

"Still," he murmured before kissing her neck, "tell me when."

"_Er, Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked as she stormed towards the well, "that's all you want!"_

"_What are you talking about?!" He shouted back as he jumped in front of her to block her from her path home, "why are you going!? You said it was summer break or whatever!"_

"_Why should I stay!?" She stepped to the side but, of course, he did to, "Kagome let's do it here! Kagome what about here!? Let's separate from the group tonight! Ever since we became intimate that's all you care about!"_

"_Th-that's not true," he stuttered as he looked away._

"_Yes. It. Is. I'm going home for the weekend, leave me alone," she demanded before pushing him out of her way and jumping down the well. _

She would tell him when but… she still allowed him to discard her yukata piece by piece, she still shuffled to help undo his pants the best she could. It was all awkward for her, all a first, and that only enchanted him more. She was unskilled in the area they were venturing into but he was still positive he'd never felt such anticipation.

"Kagome," he whispered once they were finally bare. She bit her bottom lip lightly as she looked away, "do you want to stop?"

"No, be… really gentle, please," she murmured before looking back at him and lifting her hands to cup his face.

"I will," he promised as he leaned forward to kiss her again as he pulled her thighs open lightly and letting his hand wonder down to her nether regions.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered in a sweet lull that trigged his eyes to look up into hers. She was truly beautiful and finally would be his…

"_You… you," he choked on his words as he walked about the sacred tree wide-eyed and waiting for the air to find its way back to his lungs, "you… you?"_

"_Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled, he could hear her shuffle her feet about on the ground, "I… don't know what to do… I mean, we knew that this could happen."_

"_You," he couldn't find a way passed that word as his hand wondered up to his forehead and he _finally_ turned around to see the usually strong minded girl staring aimlessly at the ground, fear etched into her. Then he could breathe again before he could clench his fists together, "I…"_

"_Inuyasha," she repeated and looked up to him, "what should we do?"_

"_I can't," he shook his head and took a step away, "no, I don't want this…"_

"_I… Inuyasha," it was almost like a croak, he could smell the tears, "you… don't mean that. There's nothing we can… do you want me to…?"_

"_To what?" He scoffed, "leave?"_

"_How could you be so cruel!?" She sobbed before sprinting off, he let her have a head start before he finally followed her just in time to see her grasp the well and fall to her knees to cry freely some more. "I… you were the one that always wanted to… to…"_

"_Keh, don't blame me."_

"_You're an asshole! I love you… I just wanted to be close to you," she managed to pull herself up enough to turn around and look him straight in the eye, "if… if I leave I'm not coming back and I don't want you coming after me. If you let me leave… I don't _ever_ want to see you again."_

_His eyes scanned her stern façade, he knew she was telling him the truth, "I can't be a father, Kagome. I don't want that. I've never wanted that."_

_She looked away and pressed her lips together before raising the back of her hand to her mouth and tried her best to keep from breaking out in tears ago. "How could you say you didn't know this could happen?"_

_He couldn't…_

"_I hope the well seals up! I hope I never see you again!" Those were the final words she cried before turning about and jumping down the well, but he could still hear her whisper, "I hate you."_

"Inuyasha…?" Kagome hummed as her fingers poked at his face, "what's wrong? Are you OK?"

Just like that, he snapped away from her and grabbed one of the night-time white yukatas and wrapped it on before he stumbled towards the door, his breath caught in his throat.

He… he… they… how, _how_, how could he forget that? No, there's no way he could ever forget that. No, he shook his head fervently before he left the hotel room and a very confused girl there, too.

* * *

**A/N:** Finally I've returned to DT! I've gone through all the chapters and fixed errors and small things, nothing huge. Now that Confound is done I got my muse back for this story. As you can tell, I've written a pretty big chapter to make up for my weak, short, one before this. Thank you everyone for putting up with my lack of updates. I'm not going to lie but I just glanced over this, I probably will come back to it tomorrow and notice a ton of errors and fix it but... until then...

I hope you enjoy, I hope you review, and thank you for reading!


	17. Tangled

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Sixteen: Tangled**

That wound… the gashing gut on her frayed body was always what haunted him the most, the one that his eyes always wondered to in his memory, the one that sent panic, painful, waves through his body at just recalling it. He hadn't thought much about that until now, now he knew _why_ that affected him so much.

He didn't lose just Kagome that day.

Still, he couldn't regain his stable breath or stop the shaking as he bent down by one of the farther away hot springs, his hand gripped to his chest to try and steady the erratic heartbeat that throbbed in his mind. What the fuck was wrong with him? _How_ could he leave her like that? _Why_ would he ever do that? Granted, he never wanted kids or anything, he'd make the world's worst father for sure, but that didn't mean he should leave the woman that was pregnant with _his_ child. No, no, no… and he lost her, she came back for some reason only to… die. Knowing her good heart, she probably wanted to forgive him or give him another chance... but instead he lost her and their unborn child and it was his fault, if he hadn't pushed her away that day maybe…

Five hundred years was a grave amount of time, of course he'd forget a great deal of his past as newer memories washed away the old but that… still, how the hell could he forget that the woman that was going to bear his child died? How could he forget he lost a child? No, he couldn't believe time could take that away from him. Wouldn't that thought plague his mind all the time so as never to be forgotten? Yes, yes, yes…

"Inuyasha?" If he heard her he made no sign of it, gods, what was wrong with him? She was finally going to give herself to him and he freezes up and runs away? Did he have any idea how much that hurt her? If it weren't for that odd look on his face she would have pulled back on her yukata and left with haste instead of putting one the white night-time oned and going to look for him. By the time she went out into the hallway he was gone so she scoffed to herself before slamming the door and heading back to grab her things, she'd just leave. Then she caught a glimpse of him in the back of the inn, where all the hot springs were. He seemed to collapse beside one, was he OK?

She couldn't help but run out of there—without even shoes—to go make sure. By the time she reached him she had called out his name three times lightly before putting more force behind it yet he still stared—shaky eyed—at the steaming water before him, his hand clenched to his chest tightly.

"Inuyasha!" She shouted, finally, as she knelt down beside him to cup his face and pull his face to look over at him. After a moment he blinked and it seemed realized she was there, "are you OK?"

No, nowhere near it, how could he do that to her? He couldn't lock eyes with her; he glanced away and freed his face from her grasp.

"Inuyasha," she whispered. He looked… so strange as if somehow he had broke in only a moment, but how? How could Inuyasha show such apparent weakness? He was always hiding any sign of mortality, of feelings, of pain, of suffering, of anything from her yet now... she couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and pull him into an embrace where his head was leaning against her chest and her chin upon his jet black hair. "Please, you are worrying me, are you alright?"

He cringed when she hugged him like that, guilt bombarded him to the point that he felt almost as if he needed to pull away to vomit. She was comforting him when it really should be the other way around, how could he…? He didn't deserve her if he did such a thing to her in the past—wait, no, he closed his eyes and took a breath. No, he never did it to _her_-her. He did it to another Kagome, a Kagome that did not yet exist… and he didn't necessarily do it—well, he did—but his ignorant, selfish, childish, self from five hundred years ago did.

_He_ would never make that mistake. _He_ would never leave her like that. _He_ could never hurt her like that.

"Kagome," he whispered before giving in and holding her back.

"What's wrong?" She muttered back.

"I'm sorry," for so much more than she could possibly understand, "it's… nothing. I just remembered something and it…" he shook his head lightly before unraveling her arms from around him so he could look into her eyes, he'd never tell her what he remembered. She'd never forgive him, he couldn't blame her. Then again… it would probably keep her from ever wanting to return through the well, right? To know that his past-self that she was so in love with would leave her like that would shatter her image of him, right? But… he couldn't risk her blaming _him_, too.

"What'd you remember?" She inquired as her hazel delights wondered about his auburn-amber gaze; she lifted one of her hands to cup his cheek with a pout upon her lips. She was quiet sure she knew, though, probably something to do with her death. It was only those memories that made him look so... distraught.

He could see her patience was wearing thin, he could see he hurt her, he could smell some salt upon her cheeks as if he made her shade a single tear after he left. She had finally agreed to give herself to him and he jetted, he defiantly needed to do some damage control. "I love you."

Her eyes widened immensely as her lips parted ever so slightly yet nothing came out, her hand retracted from his cheek only a small amount.

"I love you," he repeated with more certainty, he did. He knew it. He had for over five hundred years now, he just didn't remember until that moment. He'd make up for what he did in the past, he'd never hurt her again, "Kagome, I really—"

"Inuyasha," she hushed before retracting her hand to her chest and looking over to the hot spring. Should she say it back? She loved him, she did, but did she love _him_ or the past-Inuyasha or… a mixture of the both? Did she just love one of them or had the best of both fused into her mind as one? Did it matter if she differentiated between the two? Weren't they still the same man?

"I don't need to hear it back," he said with a sigh—but not out of disappoint just… relief, it was as if a weight was lifted from his shoulder after saying those three words to her. A weight he didn't even know was there. "And… Kagome," he gently tilted her face so she was looking at him once more, "you know I want to…" he dragged out before she met his gaze again and nodded, she knew what he was getting at. "I really want to," he assured, "believe me but I think… we should wait a while."

"What?" She scoffed, "why?" Should she take that as an insult? After all, she was finally giving into him yet he wanted to _wait_? Was he scared of the fact that he loved her? Her brows furrowed as she bit her bottom lip, why did he have to be like this?

"Just… safety first, ya' know?" he managed a smile for her then, "we were in the moment and it was a great one but… I didn't think you'd be staying with me tonight and even if you were I didn't think you'd want to have," sex, somehow he figured he shouldn't blatantly say that to her so he just shrugged, "so I don't have… protection tonight. I don't want to do something careless," that was a lie but he just couldn't bring himself to becoming intimate with her after that memory resurfaced. "Besides," her cleared his throat some before standing up and reaching his hand out for her, she still seemed a bit baffled but took it and let him help her to his feet. "Maybe you should get on that… pill, just in case. You know, you're only seventeen; it'd be pretty bad if something were to happen while you're so young. It's not healthy, ya' know?"

She retracted her hand from his while her cheeks flushed with a pink tint, she hadn't thought about that. It was very reasonable… almost too reasonable, how did Inuyasha become so mature? "Maybe you're right…" she was embarrassed at how disappoint she was that they weren't going to do anything, had she wanted to that badly?

"I hear it takes a month for that med to take effect," and the safer it was whenever they were together the better. The longer he had to figure out how to get over the guilt, the better. How could he take her when he did something like that in the past to her? He couldn't… he wanted to, still, but he couldn't. Damn, after five hundred years he was really hoping he had gotten rid of his conscious.

Her hazels narrowed upon him as she folded her arms, "you know that, huh?"

"It's common knowledge, Kagome," he assured.

"Mm-hm," she grumbled, "Inuyasha… do you have children?"

"Wh-What?"

"You've been with _how_ many women throughout the past five hundred years?" She sneered some, "hm? So have you ever had a child?"

That's a valid point, he guessed, but, "no. None that I know of—"

"That you _know_ of?" She awed with utter disgust, "so you really could and just—?!"

"Kagome, hold on," he requested as he placed his hands upon her shoulder, "I would know. The child would be a half-demon and I would have been made aware of his existence. There aren't a whole lot of us left, you know, and there are a few demons that are designated as… population control, you could say, and they go around tracking all the demons and half-demons that are left. They would have brought me any heir I might have and forced me to raise the child. Besides, I'm really not as big of a dog as you think I am. For a hundred straight years after you I didn't ever bother with the company of a woman."

"Really?" She murmured.

He just nodded, even though that was true… it was still a bit amazing he never produced an heir through all his one-night stands. Perhaps it was a punishment from the gods, since he rejected his first he couldn't have anymore? Whatever the reason, he didn't have a child and he was most certain someone would have figured out if he did.

"Is…" she sighed before taking a step closer to him so he could wrap his arms around her and she could rest her head upon his chest, "it OK for a child to be a half-demon now? Mimiko said they're more accepted, is that true?"

"Uh-huh, it's fine, any amount of demon blood is important now. Half or full, you saw today, there were plenty of half-demons running for posts."

She nodded lightly before wrapping her arms around him, if they ever had children together—_not_ that she was even considering that as a possibility right now, mind you—they would be half-breeds. She didn't want them to have to go through the same difficulties Inuyasha did when he was a child… _not_ that she wanted to marry Inuyasha or anything—which is what would have to come before she ever had a child with him. "OK, Inuyasha. Let's wait."

"Alright," he murmured back as he kissed the top of her head. "Do you want me to—?"

"Inuyasha," a hazardous chuckle beckoned.

"Fucking bastard," another grunted, "bringing a pet here like you did."

Kagome meant to turn around to see the two rather large demons she could feel were right behind her but Inuyasha squeezed her tighter so she couldn't move.

"Fuck off," he ordered, "I'll only give you one chance."

They both laughed before the ground shook some with their steps forward, "like one of you could take two of us."

"Idiots," he scoffed before pushing Kagome behind him. It was only then that she could see how _huge_ they really were and ugly, too. They looked like two giant ogres, they must be in their true demon forms, then, and not human—wait, she couldn't help but ponder, didn't that mean Inuyasha had a true demon form now, too? Did he look like a big dog like Sesshomaru once did?

"We told you we wouldn't forgive you for what you did!" The greener one of the two shouted as he slammed his hand down right in front of them, cracking the ground in the processed. Inuyasha snatched up Kagome and jumped out of the way and upon the balcony that belonged to their room.

"What's going on?" She asked right away.

"Stay here," he sighed, "this won't take long."

"But—"

"Stay," he ordered again before jumping back down to land right on the greener one's head.

She couldn't help but grumbled something bitter to herself as she paced about, if only she had a bow and arrow she could help him but… she didn't. Not that it appeared to matter; he didn't even lift a claw to them. All he did was jump about to here and there; it was rather amusing to her how the two ogres ended up doing nothing but assaulting the other. In no time, the greener one smacked the other severely in the head in an attempt to get Inuyasha, causing his companion to pass out and fall into the hot spring.

"Fuck you!" The green one grunted.

"You are as stupid as ever," Inuyasha gloated before leaping up to where Kagome was once again, "I suggest you stop it now. We aren't supposed to fight at these things. The pasts the past, anyway, it was your twos fault that you got in trouble. I was just enforcing the law of the land."

"You are fucking lucky we are here or else you'd be dead!" He shrieked as he retrieved his friend, "I swear! I'll get your little bitch—!"

"Touch her and I'll kill you," Inuyasha assured.

"You can't kill a fellow demon over a mortal," he chuckled, "that's just the _law_ of the _land_."

"But Ohachi approved her," Inuyasha smirked, "that means she's safe. If you touch her you'll have ot answer to me or him, your choice, neither will be pretty."

"You liar!"

"Ask Ohachi yourself."

That seemed to fluster the brute into silence before he stumped off with his friend on his back, cursing up a storm all the while.

"What was that all about…?" Kagome sighed.

"Nothing," he shrugged before turning to her once more, "they killed a horde of humans once and got punished for it. We really aren't supposed to do that. It's kinda the opposite of laying low. They're just idiots, really, I could take them down without breaking a sweat, don't worry about it, alright?"

She nodded lightly before she glanced away, "your yukata is sort of opened… Inuyasha."

"Huh?" He murmured before looking down to see how true she was, he quickly fumbled about to tie the knot once more and keep it closed, "anyway," he coaxed, "it's almost midnight. If we hurry, and I mean like _really_ hurry—demon speed hurry—I can take you to your family so you can be with—"

"I told you," she stated swiftly as she turned around to cup his face in her hands, "I want to spend New Years with you. Do you not want to spend it with me just because we aren't going—"

"No, I want you here, but won't your family wonder where you are?"

She shrugged lightly, "I doubt it. They'll probably be at the shrine all night praying, making wishes, and playing around with all the activities that are there. They must think I'm doing the same elsewhere with you and friends, they won't care."

"If you say so," he murmured, "I meant it when I said—"

That he loved her, she smiled, "I know."

It's a bit ironic, isn't it? She had yearned for him to tell her that for so long, if she was in Feudal Era she'd be the one declaring her love and not getting a reply out of Inuyasha yet… now, in her era, it was the other way around. It's just, she couldn't say it yet… she couldn't tell him she loved him when she wasn't sure it was _him_ she loved. So instead she just gave him one, simple, innocent kiss.

Their first kiss of the New Year.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"So you want me to leave today?" Kagome almost pouted as they lingered around the front of the Inn.

"You'll be safe," he promised before leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, "humans aren't allowed at all during the voting and you'd be bored out of your mind, anyway. I'll see you later."

"If I walk just down to the road I'll be able to catch a bus?" She inquired as she pointed down the dirty road, "without a problem?"

He shrugged lightly, "you might have to wait a while. If you want I can call a car service to come pick you up. I don't think I want you to have to wear your nice yukata on some public bus."

"Inuyasha," she sighed before rolling her eyes at him. It's funny that he became such a snob over all the years, "it'll be fine."

"I'd feel better if you let me call—"

"Stop it," she retorted, "I'll be fine. I take public transportation all the time."

"Fine, fine," he grumbled, "call me when you get home, alright?"

"Worry-wart," she giggled some before taking a step away, only to have him grab her arm and pull her into an embrace rather abruptly. She was happy he loved her, she was more than happy to sleep in his arms all night after they talked well into the New Year about this and that, and she was overjoyed that he cared enough not to want to let her go but it was going to be bothersome he was always like that. Then she heard a car drive by behind her and saw it stop not too far away from them. Oh… "was that going to hit me?"

"You are a," he bit his lips and snorted, "moron. Do you want to die via vehicle manslaughter, huh?"

"Jerk," she jeered as she pushed away to watch as two people exited the in one a goddess looking female—a demon, she could tell from the marks about her face and her aura—and the other… her eyes widened and jaw almost dropped. The other was—!

"Inuyasha!" the woman beckoned with a bright smile as she raised her hand slightly to wave, "how are you? I was so sad to see you were not running for ambassador, darling."

"Chi," he smiled back with a small, cheerful, chuckle, "with you as advisor of section one what's it matter who's ambassador?"

"You are too kind," she assured, "but I cannot seem to bring myself to vote for Takeo, he is still such a child."

"That's true."

"Oh, is this your human?" She inquired before making her way over to them—it seemed as if she floated upon the ground she was so graceful. She bowed her eyed ever so slightly to Kagome, who did so in return, "let me introduce myself. I am Tsumino Chiyoko, it is a pleasure."

"I am Higurashi Kagome, it's nice to meet you, too." The way Inuyasha and her acted was… strange, to her at least. They seemed to be friends, they had nothing but good cheer as they talked with one another and she brought a surreal smile to his face… a pang of jealousy struck her. The silver haired beauty wore a silk, elaborate, blue and gold kimono that only advanced her already noble looking grander.

"Ah, _Kagome_," she nodded with a prying smile to Inuyasha, "I see... well, this is my human," she turned to the handsome, brown haired, teal eyed teen who nodded his head lightly to Kagome, "he is Morinu Katsu."

"Yes, I know," Kagome couldn't help but glow, "I loved your last album."

"Thank you," oh, his smile made her heart flutter. She couldn't help but be like all her other friends and have a crush on the famous J-pop star. Honestly, that was the last type of person she would have expected to see there particularly since he was human—not even a bit of his aura seemed to be demonic. Then again, if she remembered all that Eri, Ayumi, and the rest of her friends always said while gossiping over him he was from a very well off family.

"I am sending him away," Chiyoko frowned, "I can't keep him here during the voting. I suppose you are doing the same for yours?"

"Yep," Inuyasha nodded.

"Why waste money? Let them share the car, that way she needn't wait for whatever service you have summoned."

"Oh, no, that's—"

"Sounds great," Inuyasha broke in before Kagome could respectfully decline the offer, "I'll see you later, Kagome."

"Fine," she sighed… besides, how bad could it be if she had to share a town car with someone so dashing?

"Here you go," Katsu offered as he opened the door for Kagome, "that is a very pretty yukata, Higurashi."

"You can call me Kagome," she assured as she slid in, "and thank you."

"Well, if I'm going to call you Kagome, will you call me Katsu?" He inquired, never once letting that subtle, sweet, smile leave his lips.

"If you don't mind," she replied back with a bit of a giggle as the car started on. It wasn't until they returned to a fairly popular road that Katsu struck up conversation once more.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," she nodded as she looked away from the window and over to the staring Katsu, his smile had faded.

"Why do you associate with demons?"

"Me?" She mused, "I've known Inuyasha for forever."

He nodded lightly, "my family has had to do with them for generations now, too."

No, that's not what she meant at all but… she didn't feel like trying to really explain it to him, "it's something like that. "

"Do you like them?" He mumbled as he glanced out the window.

"I like Inuyasha…. I'm not so sure about the rest, what about you?"

"I don't, I like Chiyoko but the rest… can burn."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Inuyasha," Chiyoko dragged out, "you finally found that human you were looking for, hm? I have to say I always thought you were a bit crazy. How would you have known someone from the future? But, apparently, you were right."

"Of course I was," he scoffed as he stuck his hands in his pocket, "I just… hate how much I've forgotten about her."

That stopped Chiyoko in her tracks right before the entered the theater, her violet gems wondered about him as he slowed to a stop to turn and look at the strange expression written upon her pretty face, "Chiyoko…?"

"Don't you remember?" She inquired with her calm tone and a tilt of her head, "back when we lived together, Inuyasha? You asked me for a favor…?"

Silence lingered between the two as he just stared at her, trying to recall what that might have been since it was well over a hundred a fifty years since they had. Finally, the gears started to turn in his mind and his stance stiffened.

_"I can't sleep…" he complained as she played with his bangs, "I can't get over what happened… the guilt, fuck…"_

_"Would you like me to make it stop, Inuyasha?" She whispered before she brushed his hand away from his eyes so he could look up into her violets, "for you, I will."_

_"Chiyoko," he dragged out before sighing and nodding, "I can't… I need to stop feeling this way."_

_"Then let me help you," she requested before pressing her lips to his forehead and mouthing once more, "Inuyasha."_

_"Please, Chiyoko… make it stop."_

_"Consider it done, sweetheart," she replied as she sat back up and placed her fingers upon the side of his temples, her eyes locked with his as they began to fog up, "think about what you want to forget."_

"That's right," he whispered before taking a step back and raising his hand up to his face, "I asked you to erase some of my memories…"

"Don't feel too bad about it," Chiyoko requested, "they were already fading naturally, you barely remembered any details just one that kept you from sleeping. I wanted to help you, Inuyasha."

"Did I ever tell you what it was?" He inquired.

She simply shook her head, "let's not worry about it right now, let's go vote."

"Alright," he whispered, "is there a way to get the memories back?"

She sighed, "it's difficult, I'll try…"

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for reviewing! It's great. Enjoy.


	18. Truth

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Seventeen: Truth**

"Hello?" Kagome called out as she wiggled her brown loafers off and set her backpack down below the table within the entrance that was used for discarded junk mail, keys, and extra change. Just like every other day she took off her brown jacket and hung it up in the closet. It had become ritualistic, every bit of it. Four weeks ago they shared their first kiss of the year and only five days later her school started up again. Every day since then she arrived at his at four o'clock promptly.

"Hey," was barely audible from the living room. When she walked in to check on him her smile faded into a frown. He sat upon the couch with his head resting on the back of it, one hand in his lap and the other holding his half filled cup of brown liquid against his forehead. That tired façade of his had regrettably become a ritual, too.

"Can't sleep?" She assumed as she walked over to sit upon the couch next to him, it was only then that he opened his eyes and set the cup upon his knee.

"It's not that," he didn't need her to feel guilty over it like she was so prone to do. It wasn't her fault that he couldn't find peace with the inky, starry, sky that taunted him each night she left him. She couldn't understand the depth of it, anyway. The scene of her tattered body upon the barren land wasn't all that crept into his dreams, it was not her burden to carry, it was his, it always would be…

So often he almost dared himself to the point of confessing his sin to her as she lingered at his late into the night yet he could never bring himself to do that. He could not bear the thought of her ceasing to come and bring him all the comfort he did not deserve to have, particularly from her. It was selfish, he knew it, but couldn't bring himself to care enough to stop.

"Then what is it?" She whispered while she took his hand that resided within his lap into both of hers and rested her head upon his shoulder. How could she help but to feel a twinge of guilt each time she saw him so distraughtly tired? It was her deepest fear when she knew she could not stay the night with him, not allow him the soundless sleep he deserved. Only twice since school started could she do that and she almost got caught the second time, too but it still killed her a bit... To know while she prepped for sleep on the nights she returned home he would not be, that the scene of her death still tormented him so. It was most likely her fault entirely, after all. What if she only died because she refused to listen to him? She highly doubted that if the battle was so dangerous Inuyasha would have asked for her assistance, on the contrary, he would have told her to stay away and out of it but… she couldn't help but join in if someone she cared for was in peril. What if she died in order to protect someone she cherished? Then her death would have been worth it, to her at least, but she doubted that Inuyasha would have found any solace in that… particularly if she had perished while protecting _him_.

"Nothing, don't worry your pretty head over it," he muttered the same nonsense he always did as he rested his head upon hers and relaxed into the cushions. That was how they spent a good amount of their time in his silent condo, hands interlaced, one of hers tracing the outline of his, the scent of her orange-mint shampoo striking at his senses, and the best part was that they needn't spare any effort to really talk because they'd have plenty of time for that later. For that moment, they could just enjoy the others peaceful company and nothing more.

Secretly, though, she had another habit that had become as necessary to her as the one she cherished to share with Inuyasha each day. One that possessed her morning, one that made her need to leave her home fifteen minutes early each day to make sure she'd arrived to school before the first bell chimed out to summon all the late students to rush for it. If a day went by without it a strange pang would beat at her heart all day long. To satisfy that pang, she always went to the hut that held the well to linger before it for a few minutes too many. No longer did she bother to reach out to the chains she could never touch, within the past week she didn't even bother to walk down the stairs any longer. It was enough to simply stand and stare at it. Questions she only managed to bury deep within her fog of a mind came out then.

Was Miroku's wind tunnel doing well? Was it too large? Would he soon…? Was the pervert still groping at any young thing's bottom and asking her that ridiculous question? … had someone bothered to say 'yes'?

Was Shippou finding a way to cope without her? Did he miss her like she did him? Was he crying this very moment over her absence?

Had Sango found her most precious little brother? Had she freed home? Had she finally told the lecherous monk that she loved him?

There were far too many questions concerning Inuyasha that her mind barely ever tried to process them. Just one rang out above all others—did he understand that she hadn't abandoned him like so many before her? Did he somehow know that the situation was out of her hand?

After she had thoroughly managed to depress herself she would often sigh and head out for whatever the day was to bring her. It took everyone by shock that she had managed to attend school every day since winter break had ended. Her teachers were pleasantly surprised to see how her grades were gradually improving, her classmates were relieved to see her doing better, and her friends were overjoyed to have her back as a main member of their group. They, too, had stopped teasing and taunting her over 'Shiro' since they had been steadily dating for a month—to their dismay, though, without sex. Still, they reassured her each chance they got that they were there for her if she ever needed advice on what to do once she was faced with the beast.

For the exclusion of the fact that her boyfriend was a dog demon her life had returned to being overly ordinary and she… was thankful almost for that. She enjoyed it, was that wrong of her? School had never been fun and it had yet to become so but she was grateful to be able to attend it like all other seventeen year olds and glad to see her mother's joy when she told her of the B+ she got on her last math exam. It was nice to be able to go to Souta's soccer games, to listen to the lie filled legends her grandpa liked to spot to her nightly, to texted her friends throughout the day and to see the latest movies with them. It was almost as if the well had never opened…

"I should make dinner," she whispered when a grand amount of time had passed by. Another part of her now predictable life was once the clock struck five she'd say that, sometimes he'd aid her but his 'aid' only consisted of him heading down to the Chinese restaurant he adored so much at the end of his street and getting take-out—rarely did they ever go out to eat.

"Mm," sleep was about to take him, she knew that was why he couldn't bother with an actual word. It was the least she could to wait there a bit longer until his breath became a steady, slow, deep lullaby to her. With care she raised his hand up to her lip and kissed the back of it, briefly, before capturing his head in her grasp and lowering him into a strange yet sure to be comfortable pose upon the couch.

'Sleep tight,' was what she always wanted to say with a smile but if she did say something then he would have woken up, probably. Instead, silently she exited the room and moved across the entrance to the kitchen and closed the door so the noise she was sure to make would hopefully not wake him. Happily she set down the plastic bag she had taken out of her backpack. She was going to make ramen for him tonight. Hopefully, he still liked that. It was going to be a good almost gourmet type, too, one that was a family recipe her friend Eri had given her that morning. She had stopped by a store on her way over and bought the proper supplies, with the credit card Inuyasha had given her for such occasions.

Really, she enjoyed this a great deal… each and every day of the mundane yet marvelous practice that had become her life.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"You're quite the cook, huh?" He inquired as he picked up his empty bowl and hers as well before heading over to the sink. It was the unspoken agreement that they shared, if she cooked then he'd do the dishes, if he got take-out she'd clean up whatever mess was leftover.

"I'm glad you liked it so much," she laughed lightly. Obviously, he had to enjoy it since he had three helpings. She took a moment to be grateful for the fact that she doubled the recipe that Eri told her would be enough for two. "I was worried you didn't enjoy ramen anymore."

"I loved the stuff when it first came out but got so sick of it that I couldn't touch it anymore. After a few hundred years of not eating it that feeling wore off," he shrugged lightly. It was odd for both of them how easy it was for him to say something like that now. How she had grown to accept it. At first, it was mind-boggling to hear him talk about a 'few hundred years' like she would a year or two but now she came to terms with it just being a part of his life and, thus, hers, too.

"You are awful at this," she sighed as she bumped him away from the sink to work on the dishes with less effort and more precision than him. "It's almost as if you've never cooked or cleaned for yourself before!" The more time passed, the surer he was of that he just had take-out every day and hired a maid services to do his bidding.

A grin graced his lips as he watched her at work, "it's almost as if you are already my housewife."

_Already_, she stilled to a surreal silence at that moment. Nothing but the faint popping of the bubbles as they floated off the dishes and into the water echoed about them, her wide hazels locked upon the silver, modern, handle before her. _Already_, as if it was planned to happen, as if they were sure to end up like that… married. Were they?

Did she… want that?

It wasn't until then that he considered with he said, "sorry?"

"No, it's fine," she assured before she pulled the plug so the sink could drain. Then again, really, if she stopped to think why… wouldn't they? After everything they had been through together—if she were never to return to the past, too—then what would really cause them to split? Cheating, she supposed, but she hadn't any inclination to do that and she was sure he'd never betray her trust in him.

"You sure?" he inquired before taking a step away from her and glancing to the doorway of the kitchen.

"Yeah, of course," the chipper tone in her voice was enough to assure him before he headed towards the front door before a knock echoed about.

"Chi, I knew it was you," he grinned as he opened it to lean against. The fine, female, figurine floated by him, much against his will. He closed his door quietly before turning around to see her violets glancing around the place before she bothered to reply.

"I knew it was you, too," her tranquil tone sang out while she turned to look at him.

"I live here," he whispered back in a voice that only her fair hearing could pick up on, that was when she noticed the presence of a human not too far away, a delicate smile trailed up her pink lips. "What are you doing here?"

"I am here to fulfill the favor you wished for," she kept her tone as low as his.

"What?" he held back a snicker; it was irksome to deal with her choice of words at times, a great majority of time it was almost like talking to a puzzle piece. Too long had passed so that he had forgot the code one needed to understand all that she said. Then it clicked, "my memories?"

She nodded slightly, letting her loosely held silver strands bob upon her head.

"Thank you," he smiled as he relaxed against the door.

"Anything for you, anata," she relished with innocence the way he cringed at her words.

"Right, let—" but right then he saw Kagome poke half of her body out of the kitchen to see what had been keeping him. Really, he had been planning on taking care of this outside his door in the hallway. Kagome got so odd when he associated himself with pretty women, he didn't want that to happen again but, apparently, he failed there…

"Ah, the enchantress," Chiyoko chimed with a small bow of the head, "good evening."

"Uh, hello," Kagome replied with a nod.

"An—" Chiyoko wasn't allowed another word before Inuyasha grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the living room.

"Demon stuff," Inuyasha assured Kagome, "don't worry about it."

"Would you like something to drink?" he inquired as he closed the door to the living room.

"I see you still stock up on inhibiters," she hummed, "my usual."

He still remembered what that was, scotch malt with two cubs of ice, he could go for that himself so he got two glasses and walked over to hand one to her. The windowed wall had caught her attention, it seemed, as her violets ventured about.

"Do you remember the old days, anata?" She reminisced with a whimsical whisk of a smile upon her lips as she raised the crystal cup to her lips, only taking a small sip from it, "when the sky still sparked, when the air was crisp and clean, when the buildings were half as high, when the moon charted the passage of time?"

"I do," he murmured back, downing his glass in one sip.

"Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if we did not just pretend?" She mused while her violets altered from focusing upon the nighttime scene outside the window to the demon that stood beside hers reflection in the shinning glass. "If we gave air to the fire that had begun to fester in the days that have passed instead of blowing it out?"

"Sometimes, now can we get on with this already?" He grunted before shaking the empty glass in his hand.

She leaned a bit closer to him so that her silk, spring colored, kimono almost brushed against his shirt, "anything, anata."

"Chi," he warned as he turned his face to look at hers, that was ever so close, it was then that she handed him her glass and took a step away.

"The couch, Inuyasha, it is best if you are lying down for this."

He did as he was told, setting the glasses down on the coffee table along the way before he rested his head on the arm of the chair and folded his arms upon his chest, "so this'll work?"

She titled her head side to side as she loomed above him, her violets linked to his amber-auburn gaze, "perhaps, I do not often try to retrieve lost memories. It's been a hundred years, I suppose, since I last did such a feat."

"Wait, then—" but he hadn't the time to reason before her gentle touch upon his forehead sent a wave of electricity through his mind to shut him up.

"_We deserve to know," a stern voice beckoned, it sparked him to turn his head to look up at the violet eyed man with black hair held in a rat-tail who wore a monk outfit, he knew him… what was that man's name? Who was he… he was…?_

"_Miroku," he grunted back before turning his head away and scoffing again._

"_We deserve to know why Lady Kagome has left," he stated as he closed the space between them and sat down beside the squatting demi-demon, "you know, don't you? Two moon cycles have passed since she left without as much as a goodbye. Shippou is beside himself, even Sango has shed a few tears, I will not lie, I miss her as well."_

"_Keh, whatever," he muttered back before he received a stern whack in the head by the man's trusted staff._

"_You think we have noticed how you have changed? You barely speak anymore—not that we are complaining, mind you," he joked briefly before returning to his condor tinted seriousness, "you barely seem to care for the search for the shikon shards, you find any excuse for us to return here so that you can be near the well… you no longer react when Shippou tries to trigger a fight with you, do you even care to find Naraku any longer?"_

"_Of course!" He growled only to turn to see an almost… apologetic look upon the monk's face. That only fueled the fire that had built up in his chest, "fuck off."_

"_Inuyasha, what happened? Why have you not gone after Lady Kagome when that is all you seem to care about?"_

"_Fuck off, now, Miroku!"_

"_Inuyasha," he sighed before shaking his head lightly, "please, tell me what is the matter. It is as if you have given up on everything here…"_

_He was about to bark back another curse but instead the words got lodged in his throat and he sighed before turning away to stare at the full moon before him… the object in the sky that caught Kagome's fascination so desperately in the sky. "Kagome's with… child."_

_The monk gawked at the confession before he took a deep breath and looked away briefly, "is that so? Congratulation is in order then, hm?"_

"_No," he clenched his fists upon the ground, his claws dug deep into the ground, "no… I told her… that I…"_

_Apparently, he didn't need to say anything more, his friend understood with a nod, "and that is why Lady Kagome has left… is that how you truly feel?"_

"_Of course not!" He sprung to his feet as he took a few steps ahead of them, "no, not at all. I want to be with her. I want her here with me right now so I knew she's safe, so our…" he choked on his words, he could feel the familiar burn in his eyes as he turned his face away from the monk that had gotten to his feet, too, to follow his friend. "She's really _safe_ at her home. Everything's better there, herbal treatments, medicine, Kagome's always telling me that and her family's there… if I told her how I really…" he shook his head lightly, "she would have stayed no matter what."_

"_I see," Miroku mused before he took another step forward, "I am not in your situation, I cannot judge you, if Sango were to by chance become with child… I would want her as far away from here as possible as well. I would never be able to find peace knowing Naraku could get at her in her weakened condition… perhaps you did the right thing by Lady Kagome… then let's find Naraku soon. Let's kill him, rid the world of his malice, and then you can jump down the well and go find her. You can tell her all of this, your child needn't grow up without a father like the two of us had to."_

"_But… what if…" he couldn't even say it._

"_Lady Kagome will forgive you," the monk swore with sincerity, "she has a good heart, I cannot imagine there is anything she would want more than to share in the joy of having a child that is yours than _with_ you. She would not think twice about it after you tell her what you told me."_

"_Are… you sure?" Inuyasha inquired meekly, glancing over to the monk out of the corner of his eyes, "I didn't want to hurt her…"_

"_I know, and once you tell her that she will too," his 'holy' friend replied with a smile, "Lady Kagome will forgive you. She loves you, even now, I am sure. Somehow, she must know that you still cherish her."_

_Just like that, he could feel the cocky pull of his lips into a smirk, "then what the hell are we waiting for? Let's find Naraku already."_

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"What happened, will he be alright?" Kagome sped as she hovered about the couch, "is he just asleep?"

"I believe so," Chiyoko spoke with her usual melody of a voice as she swayed about, "he asked for this."

"What did you do?"

"Hush, hush, little one, do not get so aggressive," she retorted, "he requested that I try and bring back lost memories. It is common for this to happen, he should be waking up at any moment now."

"Wait… what?" Kagome murmured as she knelt down by the unconscious Inuyasha.

"Many years back when we lived together—"

"Lived together?" She turned slightly to look up at Chiyoko who nodded, her pretty, subtle, smile never left.

"Do not fret, we were not," she paused for a bit of time as she tried to figure out what term was in current use, "an item. We were merely partners."

Partners… the only thing Kagome could figure out that meaning was _sexual_ partners, perverted Inuyasha, she snickered to herself as she poked at his cheek, he would do such a thing. She didn't even try to keep the sizzling jealousy that built up within her at bay as she pouted.

"When we lived together, " Chiyoko picked up as if Kagome had never interrupted her, "he had a grave problem with sleeping. One time…" did Kagome hear a crack in the porcelain doll's lullaby voice? She had to turn around to look up at the nostalgic look upon her face, "six months passed and he hadn't slept a wink. It was awful. Even for a demon that was too much time. He really needed to find peace with whatever was wrong. It took me that entire time to wiggle out of him it was something from his past…" her violets ventured to meet Kagome's hazels, "something about you. It took me a month until I was able to convince him to let me erase the pain. Often, though, one forgets even ever having the memories erased. It was not until we chanced upon each other at the summit that he recalled what happened. It is hard to bring back what was once forgotten. I do not know why he would want something so awful plaguing him once more."

"What was it…?" Kagome whispered as she looked back at Inuyasha, brushing a few strands of his black bangs out of his face.

"He never told me."

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered as he grasped the hand that she let slide down his face. It took a little bit longer for his eyes to flicker open. Her brows furrowed right away… his eyes; they were pure gold like they once were.

"How are you?" She hummed as she leaned in a bit more towards him, "are you OK?"

"I am," he assured before he managed to sit up and place his hands upon his forehead, "Chi, thanks, I think…"

"Do you feel groggy and have a headache?" Chiyoko inquired. "Remember, if this worked then whatever memories that may return will only do so gradually. It is best that you do not strain yourself, allow things to come to you naturally."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled.

"Here," she murmured as she picked up the crystal cup of scotch malt, "this will help, anata."

He nodded weakly as he downed the liquid then held the cold cup to his head.

"I will be leaving," she sang as she motioned towards the door, "mortal, would you care to show me out?"

"Alright…" Kagome replied with a meek mumbled as she stood up, was it a sign that Chiyoko thought of her as a servant that she had to do that? And _what_ was with that whole 'anata' nonsense?

"Please keep in mind that his brain is very boggled right now," Chiyoko requested as she slide on her sandals and bowed her head lightly towards Kagome, "he will seem… drunk, I suppose, for a while until his mind readjusts. He will say things he does not mean, please forgive him for that, he will also be drowsy but please do not let him fall asleep until at least two or three in the morning."

"Is it like having a concussion?" Kagome guessed.

"Yes," Chiyoko mused, "yes, it is like that. Please take care of him, he cares a great deal about you. I have never seen him treat _anyone_ like he does you, please keep that in mind."

"I will, thank you, Chiyoko," she replied with a bow of her own head before she watched her exit the place. "Inuyasha, she says that you cannot sleep for a while and she also says—"

"Ugh," he grunted before setting the cup upon the ground, "ex-wives always bring such trouble."

Her breath got caught in her throat just then, now _that_ would explain 'anata'. Her wide hazels lingered upon him until he noticed, "what were you saying?"

"_Ex-_wife?" She coaxed out.

Just like that his eyes snapped open, "wait, did… I say that out loud?"

Her mouth was ajar as she nodded her head. She'd say something if she could will her vocal cords to function once more.

"Wait, Kagome, I can explain that," he sped as he stood up slowly to walk over to her but with each step he took she took another backwards. "It was only for a few years, way, way, way back. It wasn't out of love or anything, it was a political move. I _swear_ it didn't mean what you think it did. I wasn't in love with her, we've never been in love, she doesn't love me."

"Did you have sex with her?" She sapt.

"Wel... Well," he cleared his throat, "she's a woman and I'm a man... that doesn't mean anything, really, it doesn't, I've had sex with a ton of people!"

"That doesn't make it any better!" She shrieked with a stomp of her feet. "_And_ you two lived together, right?" Kagome jeered as she folded her arms and narrowed her hazels upon him, stopping him in his tracks. "That's what she said. Tell me exactly how long you two were married, don't lie, Inuyasha."

"Forty years and yes we lived together," he slowly said, "but _only_ for half that time."

"Oh my lord!" She shrieked as she raised her hands to keep him at bay, "forty years is not a _few_ years! Twenty years is a very freakin' long time to live with someone!"

"I love you!" He emphasized, "I really do! Forty years to me is like maybe two or three years to you! I wanted to become the ambassador to Japan and she has _always _been the advisor of section one since we developed this system! That is the only reason we did that! We've been friends for ages and then I mentioned to her how I wanted to become more active in the demonic community; she's the one that said we should get hitched for a while. It worked; two years after we wed I got the post I wanted. After a few years she moved out, for a majority of the time I was living with Akiko _and_ her. It's not like we had a private little love nest and then when I was well established we ended it. Kagome, no one has ever meant anything to me like you do. I swear to, to," he struggled to find something of meaning, "my mother's goddamn grave that there's nothing between Chiyoko and me and there is _nothing_ for you to be weary or jealous of!"

She snorted a complaint as she pressed her lips… "then why were you trying to hide her from me?"

"I wasn't! You always get so weird when I'm around any pretty woman that I didn't want you to have to worry! You don't trust me at all!" He shook his hands before he turned around and stormed over to his sanctuary full of intoxicates. "The past four weeks have been the best of _truly_ the past five hundred years so why would I ever think to ruin that with someone that never even mattered to me!?"

"Inuyasha," she sighed before walking over to him, placing a hand upon his upper arm, "don't…" why did he always have to drink?

"Don't _what_?" he snickered back as he took off the crystal cap to a bottle.

"Don't," she repeated in a hush as she leaned her forehead against his arm, "I love you so… don't."

That struck him deeper than any liquid joy could, he let the cap drop back into place before he wiggled his arm free and turned to her, she wouldn't look up to him. "Kagome…" he whispered back before he pulled her into his gentle embrace, "I love you, too. I won't."

"Really?" She whispered as she leaned into his embrace, her arms resting upon his chest before she repeated once more, "I love you."

She did, it was true. It lifted a grand amount of weight off of her chest to finally be able to say those few words to him. A weight she hadn't known was tugging down her heart. She smiled as she pulled away from him to look into his golden eyes, "was it because of whatever Chiyoko did that your eyes weren't the right color…?"

"There are always odd side effects to what she does," he chuckled lightly before leaning down to press her lips to his, "let's go to bed."

"You are _not_ supposed to sleep, Inuyasha," she teased with a poke on his nose, a smile lacing her precious lips, "Chiyoko told me to keep you up until three in the morning."

"You can't do that, you have school," he reminded her with a taunting smile.

"I've managed with less sleep, believe me," she laughed lightly before kissing him once more briefly, "how about we watch a movie or something instead?"

"That'd put me to sleep," he assured as he took her hands into his and pulled away just a bit to tug her towards his bedroom. Reluctantly she followed him into the room purely lit by the city lights that shined in through his wall of windows. He closed the door behind her. He could feel her eyes following him as he lied down upon his bed and patted for her to join him, her eyes narrowed as she meekly strolled over to kneel down upon the edge of it.

"What… is going on?"

"Don't worry," he winked as he grasped her arm and pulled her into his, so her back was to his chest and her legs were spewed across the bed, "I just want to talk."

"OK," she smiled lightly as she snuggled her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his, "what do you want to talk about? Memories, I'm guessing, huh? Inuyasha," she sped before he could interrupt her, "I'm sorry for everything. Chiyoko told me how hard it was for you to sleep for so long because of me—"

"Kagome," he muttered as he pressed his lips to the top of her head, "I… I don't know if I should tell you this or if… it would be better if you never knew but I can't… I can't keep this to myself anymore. If you hate me forever for it, I'm sorry, but I have to tell you."

"Inuyasha," she whispered but couldn't turn around like she wanted to because he squeezed her tighter.

"New Years Eve I remembered something," he began with a shaky breath, "you… well, not you-you but the you that... well, you know what I mean… were pregnant." He felt her tense up right away, "with my child, of course, and… I pushed you away, I told you I didn't want anything to do with it, I told you I wanted you to leave and never return. I told you I didn't want any children."

What…? She barely found air to fill her lungs, he could feel her tremble lightly. "T-That's… why you… that night… you… h-how could you…?"

"I love you," he assured, "I swear I do. It killed me for the past four weeks to know that I did that, _that's_ why I have problems sleeping lately. It's not your fault."

"Inuyasha… I need to think," she tried to wiggle her way out of his grasp but he didn't allow it, "let me go!"

"Listen to me," he begged, "Chiyoko freed another memory of mine. One where I was talking to Miroku about what had happened; now I know why I did that! I knew I couldn't push you away like that, I _knew_ I would never do something like that… I didn't think I was that big of a bastard in the past. I only told you that to keep you away, to make you stay in your time until I could kill Naraku, until I knew you would be safe if you ever choice to come back. Kagome… I know what I said was cruel but I thought if I told you how much I wanted to be with you… how much it all mattered to me, I couldn't. You wouldn't have stayed away. You would have worried too much about me… but... but, Kagome, you still came back." She felt his grip tighten around her as he dug his face into the back of her head, "you still came back... I don't know why, I'm sure it was to give me another chance, even after what I said... and you died."

It took time, a great deal of time at that, for her to settle down, it took an hour all in all until she relaxed into his embrace and placed her hands upon his again, "Inuyasha… do you remember how I died…?"

"Naraku killed you, I don't remember exactly when or where but… I was there, I couldn't protect you. I didn't see you, there was so much smoke and miasma everywhere… I just heard you call out my name, I heard you scream when he…"

"Sh," she whispered as she grasped his hand tighter, "it's alright, it'll be OK. We're together now… that hasn't happened, you saved me."

"Kagome," he whispered before he loosened his grip so she could relax against him, "remember… how you got mad at me a while ago for not thinking of you as a woman?"

"Inuyasha," she sighed, "not now."

"No, just… listen, I take that back, ever since New Years… it's like something turned on inside you, you've been so… great, so mature, so…" he smiled, "it's like the age of your soul is showing."

A smile lifted her lips as she unlocked his hands around her—he finally allowed it—and turned so she had a knee on either side of his lap, "do you mean that?"

"I do," he whispered as his golden gaze glanced about her before she kissed him.

"I love you," she hushed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her again before he could reply. His hands moved up the back of her thighs, under her green skirt, and then to her hips finally only to yank her body against his as she parted their lips so their tongues could mingle and trace the inside of the others.

"Kagome," he murmured, his hot breath brushed against her neck as his lips moved down to the nape of her neck.

"I want this," she mumbled back, "Inuyasha."

What once kept his desire at bay was a lie, the truth freed him so he could gently rearranged her to rest upon the bed with her back down. He hovered above her, working on the already exposed skin as his hands floated about up to her shirt. She arched her back up so he could take off it and fling it to the ground; he bit his bottom lip as he smiled down at her.

"What…?" she inquired with a meek grin. Was something wrong?

"You are adorable," he whispered with a small shake of his head, that won her confident smile back as she placed her hands upon his shirt, tugging at the end of it, she didn't need to worry, he yanked it off in no time and discarded it somewhere else. He was dying to know if her underwear matched her bra so he unzipped her skirt and pulled it off; again she arched her body to aid him.

They did, oh, he got a real kick out of that. She hadn't changed a thing even after they had gotten so close, knowing full well that after a month passed they might become intimate but did she dawn on sexy lingerer like most other girls? No, she kept on wearing what she would any other day. A white bra with light pink hearts floating around with blue stars, it was perfect.

After he was done admiring the sight he began to kiss her chest, moving down her flat stomach before he skipped over her nether region to her inner thigh, he inhaled deeply before letting his lips and licks mingle around her milky, soft, skin. She fidgeted some as his hands roamed above his head to the elastic band of her underwear.

"Inu… Inuyasha," she stuttered, "shouldn't you…?"

He grinned as he kneeled back up so he could see her face, her eyes moved down to his pants, so he did just as her eyes requested and removed his pants so he was in nothing but his boxers.

"Why am I not surprised you aren't a briefs type of guy?" She joked, actually wiggling a chuckle out of him before he kissed her stomach again.

"I can't sleep until three… right?"

"Yes," she replied breathlessly.

"Then we better make this last," he grinned upon her skin as he moved his hands behind her to undo her bra, he waited for a nod before he pulled it off to expose her chest fully to him. He kissed her lips once more before he moved down to focus on untouched breasts, one hand meshed and molded her right , letting his thumb fiddle around with her yet to be fully erected nub as his mouth encompassed her other, sucking and melting his warm mouth around it before letting his tongue roam across her pink tip. She let out her first moan then; he had never gotten such pulsing pleasure from below the belt from just that sound. He kept at what he was doing as her hands stroked his black strands as she wiggled below him.

It felt so good, it was a carnal pleasure she had never known until a few weeks ago when he snuck through her window. Then another beating gratification came to her nether region as he pressed his erection upon her. At first she contemplated pulling away but instead pressed back, apparently that encouraged him to start moving against her with a smooth, soft rhythm that made her melt against him more as his teeth nibbled at her nub.

"Inuyasha," she gasped as he paced himself a bit quicker against her, feeling a knot form in the pit of her stomach as he kept on. His mouth moved from her breast then up her neck until it smothered hers, his hand roaming down from her other to grasp her thigh and yank her closer to his thick need. She grasped her arms around his neck tighter as she began to move her hips about with his pace; it took her a few tries before they began to move along in sync.

Her excitement smelled so divine to him, it intoxicated his sense like nothing that was hidden in any of his cabinets could. It was then that he moved his other hand down to her panties and found the strength to pull himself only slightly away from her so he could slide his finger under her damp cloth and trace her region. Perfect.

She groaned into his mouth, he couldn't take it anymore so he broke his lips from hers to take a deep breath, "are you ready?"

"Yes," she nodded, lifting her hips up enough for him to slide her last fiber of clothes off. Too much excitement shook his body that he had to fiddle about more than someone as 'skilled' in this area should have to but the way her scent fumed around his head was far too much... Finally, he pulled off his boxers and prepared himself only to stop right away. His rigid body trembled as he held himself still, his eyes closed tightly.

"It's OK," she whispered, "really, Inuyasha."

"Hold on," he muttered before he pulled away just enough to fumble around the drawer to pull out protection and slide it on all too fast for her to fully notice, "ready?"

"Yes," she almost sounded annoyed with him. Again, he moved to her entrance but paused, "I swear, Inuyasha!"

"You really want this, huh?" He grinned only to receive the cruelest glare from her, "this… is going to not feel so pleasant at first."

"Inuyasha, I know," she grumbled.

"Now you're all tense," he shook his head lightly before letting his lips find the nape of her neck, "take a few breaths, I'll take good care of you."

She nodded lightly as she let her arms loosen around his neck some, he kept working on her neck with a nip here and there until she relaxed once more. With some hesitation he pushed into her for the first time, taking her virginity in one thrust, she bit her lips together, squeezed her eyes, and stiffed below him.

"Sorry," he whispered before with slow, tender, care he began to move around her stressed, tight, womanhood.

It felt awful; really, she felt a pang of pain with each time he trust in her even though it was slow and sweetly. A tear or two slid down her cheeks as she dug her nails into his shoulders. She wanted him to stop, to pull out and let her regain herself… just to make the ache cease but after a while longer it began to dull and another feeling took over. She felt him lick away another stray tear before his lips moved to hers.

Finally, the pleasure outweighed the pain as he sped up a little bit and hit a spot within her that triggered an arched back and moan into their kiss. "Kagome," he murmured when their lips pated only enough for a piece of paper to slide between them. His head was spinning when her instincts kicked in and her hips moved along with his gentle thrusts. There was no reason for it to fill so divine for him, well, no _physical _reason. He had never been in love with the woman he mingled with... not for over five hundred years, at least. He had never been _utterly_ head over heels for whoever it was; he had never got a surge of pleasure by just seeing her look up at him finally and moan _his_ name.

They pressed together tightly, every bit of them, as if one was scared that if they gave the other just a little bit more room they'd fade from their grasp. Their chests were compressed to the others, her legs wrapped around him, their arms mingled. He could feel a building need in him as he picked up speed just for a moment, but since she didn't cringe from pain he returned to that pace. Their moans merged with the others the longer it lasted, the more in sync they truly became until he could feel her begin to tighten even more so around him.

It was _fantastic_ to feel her like that, "gods, Kagome."

Her breath quickened as he beat into her, the tingling, taunting, knot that had built within her was so close to coming untangled that it only took twice more for her to cry out his name and meet a bliss she didn't even know existed.

Never before had bringing a woman to ecstasy take him so far over the edge until that very moment. It had been so long since he actually _felt_ something with another woman that it was overwhelming to feel the high he got from her once more as he called out her name before collapsing beside her. Aftershocks took them both before he opened his arms for her and she crawled into them.

"Fuck, Kagome," he sighed with a relief that he hadn't known in ages, "who'd have thought missionary could be so goddamn great."

"I dont' know what that means," she laughed breathlessly as she snuggled up to his chest, "but that was… yeah…"

"Uh-huh," he nodded, "Kagome…"

"What," she murmured back before kissing his chest, "Inuyasha?"

He hated to but, "I'll take those chains off… the well tomorrow. If you want me to, I will."

There was some tension filled silence before she nodded her head, "please."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Opened," he said as if he were proclaiming 'ta-da!', all he had to do was take off the scrolls and remove a piece of metal she had never noticed was jammed in between the well on the left side and the ground.

She watched as he continued to avoid her eyes and took a few steps away from the well. He hadn't looked at her since she woke him up early that morning so they could go there a few hours before school, meaning, they only got three hours of sleep.

"I… love you," she meekly mumbled as she walked over and—_finally_—opened the lid and looked down the empty well.

"Mm-hm," he murmured.

"I…" she looked over to him with bent brows and bit her bottom lip before she took another deep, cleansing breath, "I'm going to go over there…"

"I know," he always knew she would… though; he had to admit it stung more than he could have imagined. He was as certain as he could be that she wouldn't want to anymore after they became intimate. After he showed her his heart so openly… after everything.

"Inuyasha," she sighed before looking back to the well, "I'm going to tell them I'm OK, that I love them all, but… that I have to stay here… I have to stay with my family, with you," she softly spoke as she looked up to see the shock upon his face.

"Really?" he awed in a hush.

"I'll be back in time to go to school, I promise," her smile assured him like nothing else could before he took a few steps closer to her, she extended her hand to him and he took it, squeezing it briefly before letting go.

"I'll wait here for you, then."

"OK," she nodded lightly before she leaped over the well like she had a thousand times before. For some reason, it seemed so right. Shouldn't her decision hurt her? Shouldn't it be hard?

Yet it wasn't… because the simple truth was she wanted to return to this Inuyasha, to her world, she wanted the ordinary life, she wanted her family, she wanted it all… and in her era, she could have it all.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Patience is a virtue, isn't it? Hundreds of years had vanished before him so he was sure he possessed that virtue yet time ticked on and on, it seemed as if forever had passed and still she was not back. With a heavy sigh he stood up from the spot he had been sitting at and opened the door to the hut to see what he thought he would...

The moonless night had taken the sky. A day had disappeared... did that mean she had changed her mind? That his past self still enchanted her more than he could? That she wanted _him_ instead?

Did that mean... she wasn't coming back to him?

Was she alright?

Did she...?

He clenched the sliding door before taking a deep breath and glancing back to the well that brought him such hell.

* * *

**A/N: _I almost didn't bother to update today. I had a true FML moment. I wrote up until the end of his flashback and then... FML! I lost the file. The worst part? It was my own fault, FML, again. I suppose that's what happens when you are screwing around at work, hm? Still, I couldn't help but whisper FML loud enough for a co-worker could hear, ops. _**Anyway, needless to say, it pissed me off enough that I almost didn't bother to write it again. Then I went out after work and loosened up so I wrote more... it's not as good as my first attempt, at least I don't feel it is. Oh, well. This is quiet the long chapter, huh?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please review.


	19. Turmoil

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Eighteen: Turmoil **

Time ticked away from him while he lingered almost in a comatose state, his legs spewed out before him, his hands in between them resting upon the dirt, his back to the well that brought him nothing but hell. Well, that's not necessarily true. If it had not opened up in the first place then he wouldn't have met Kagome… then again, he'd never have lost her, either. Would his life had been better without her? Maybe, he doubted it, but he'd never know.

All he knew was the pain that was brought by the bemused enchantress, five hundred years worth of angst, but four _weeks_ of bliss that made it all worth it… until now, until she left, until the sun broke the sky to shine an array of far too pleasant colors that only managed to piss him off.

_If_ he had changed Kagome's fate already—_their_ fate—then some of the memories he had regained never truly happened _yet_ he felt they did. Could he not change the past, then? Or did it simply not affect him no matter what? Could he have kept Kagome there all along and never forget memories that had turned false or had… they not? Had they still occurred just between him and Kagome that would never come to be?

"Fuck," he muttered to himself, such a thought was beyond him and his mingled mind. "Come back…"

Come back already, a day and night had passed him by since she leaped into the well _promising_ to be back before school. She promised him, was she not a woman of her word? Did she return to his past-self and decided, 'oh, what the hell!' and just stayed there? God, it stung to think that she was with another man even _if_ that man was him. With one much needed breath he finally moved from his stiffened spot and stood up to leave the hut for the first time since the empty abyss of a blackness cascaded across the sky the night before only to run into Mrs. Higurashi right away.

Panic stricken she turned and sighed lightly, "Shiro! I am so happy to see you! Please tell me Kagome has been with you all this time. I have been calling her phone and she does not reply…"

It gave him a pang of guilt to see her brows furrowed and eyes pleading to him for comfort, but comfort he could not give; with a sigh he shook his head.

"Oh… do-do you know where she is?"

He simply nodded towards the hut with the well. Mrs. Higurashi's brown eyes dilated some before she looked to Shiro with a slightly cocked brow as if to ask if he knew what he was saying, if he understood the power of the well. And yes, yes he did understand the magic that might have been created only to mar his existence.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Higurashi," it came out all wrong, like a weak croak. He hadn't used his voice in some time so he cleared his throat to cease that.

"Did you and her get in a fight?" Mrs. Higurashi inquired in a meek murmur. She had grown so fond of having her daughter around, it was almost as if the well had disappeared from their lives… she didn't want to get in the way of her daughter's destiny but that would never change the simple fact that she was her _mother _and what mother would want their daughter five hundred years in the past? In an era of war and anarchy, where demons lingered? What mother could sleep at night knowing that?

"No, not at all… she was going to say goodbye originally, to say she was going to stay here for good," he sighed, "but that was yesterday morning and she has yet to return…"

"So you know of the well's power?" Mrs. Higurashi awed as she raised her hand lightly to her cheek, "and you believed her when she told you?"

His eyes moved from the hut to Mrs. Higurashi's shimmering eyes, he could see a fear that must have reflected that which was buried deep in his amber gaze, "Mrs. Higurashi…" was it right to tell her the truth? To tell her how her daughter had died and he vowed to live for another five hundred years to save her? Did she need to know that? Did she _want_ to be burdened with that? Was it selfish of him to confess to her simply because it made him feel better? Yes, most likely, but that didn't stop the flood gate once it opened, "this will sound insane… but I…"

"Please, Shiro," she smiled lightly, "with a daughter like mine what could you say that I would not believe?"

"My name's not Shiro," her smile flickered to a frown briefly as she tilted her head, "it's… Inuyasha." Her face went blank much like he had expected, he doubted she was listening anymore but he kept up, "I don't know how much Kagome has told you about the shikon jewel but it had the power to make me a full demon and gave me immortality. I've been waiting all this time to find Kagome in her era, to keep her away from the well… I love her, still…"

What felt like forever even to him passed before she blinked and looked away, "why?"

If it were not for his grand ability to hear he would have missed that, "pardon?"

"Why would you have to wait all that time…?"

Perceptive mother, that she was, "Kagome was killed. I'm sorry, I know I gave you my word to protect her but I failed… it was all I could was wait to see her once more. To try and change that and I thought I did, I was able to keep her from the well… I thought she no longer wanted to go down it but," he sighed, "then she did. I only let her because I thought she wanted to simply say goodbye to everyone then return. I… I don't know."

"Go get her then," he hadn't any idea Mrs. Higurashi's voice could sound so stern, "if you are Inuyasha then you can travel through the well, right? Go get my daughter, save her… Inuyasha, please."

It was odd how such a simple and seemingly straight forward thought had not crossed his mind yet… it hadn't. His eyes snapped back to the hut, could he? He was Inuyasha… but would that fuck everything up? Would the world collapse if he did that? He almost smiled at the stupidity of that thought, "alright, I'll go get her."

"Bring her back safely, promise me that," Mrs. Higurashi requested and with a weak nod he gave her his word… his word that he could not surely keep.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Was it the same sky? The one that seemed to be just outside the top of the well as the one that he had just seen? He only took a few moments to take a deep almost cleansing breath before jumping out of the well with ease and landing on the rim of it to gaze around at a land that had long been lost, that he had long forgotten. An open field with trees lining it not too far away, the air did not sting of the poison that humans had grown accustom to pouring into it… it was fresh, foreign, and freakish.

And absent of the one scent his nostrils was searching for, how could that be? Had she left the vicinity…? Why? His heart picked up pace from the solemn calm that had taken him as he floated through the sparkling blue world while he leaped out of the field and towards the village—at least that's what his nose told him.

"Goddamn it!" That stopped him abruptly, to hear your own voice curse yet never pry open your lips was a surreal feeling that made his eyes widen.

"Inuyasha," someone that hadn't lost his temper sighed, "it will be alright."

"Fuck you!"

"Inuyasha!" A female, a strangely familiar voice, shrieked, "there are children around!"

"Yes!" A squeak seemed to agree.

He shut his eyes for a moment, was this alright? Whatever, it was best to think less and act more—right?

Wait. Wait, his breath got hitched in his throat… that was Miroku, he was sure now, and himself with two others yet there was no Kagome? No, he shook his head lightly before preceding forward, that could not be good. Not even a little, his stomach turned at the prospects but… maybe he just missed her? Maybe she jumped through the well just as he did to return to him? Maybe that was why his past-self was so pissed?

Ha, he vaguely smiled at his wishful idiocy. His heart wanted that to be the truth—how could he live if he lost her a second time? _How_? But his mind, his senses, told him what a pretty lie that was. Her scent had faded near the well, she was not recently there, the faint fresh scent of the past night's rain lingered around along with the other signs—the still drying land. Just as he walked around the corner of the hut that blocked his view something very similar to déjà vu but far stronger struck him right then…

How long had it been since he had looked like _that_? So pissed—that wasn't a foreign feeling to him—but with long, reckless, locks of silver, festering fiery golden eyes, and wore that ridiculous, puffy, red outfit that had been given to him by…? It took a moment or two of his mind working in over time to receive the answer to that—his father. He appeared to be very distraught by something, his fists were clenched tightly as he growled towards the three before him. The monk, Miroku, was the only one that seemed to meditate with calmness. The woman that dawned on a leather, tight—he let his eyes admire that a bit too long—suit and pink armor was fuming at the half-demon… her name, her name… what was it? 'Sa' something… then there was that thing that looked like a squirrel but his nose told him was apparently a fox demon.

He still could feel the way that thing irked him, it was annoying… what was its name?

"Sango," his past-self growled, "how could you let that happened!?"

"Do not blame her, Inuyasha," Miroku jumped in to be the sound of reason.

"Yeah, Inuyasha!" The squirrel shrieked, sending a shiver down both of their same spines.

"Shippou, I'll fucking kill you!" His past-self warned.

Ah, well, at least that answered that. Sango and Shippou, his former companions… yet no Kagome.

What is it, Sango, that you allowed to happen? That was the golden question that got him to sigh once more and take another step forward, his past-self finally caught on to his masked presence and flipped around to glare with candor hatred at him. He was always so angry, what was that all about? Gods, and he thought he was bad now.

"Who are you?" Miroku questioned; his voice firm as he pointed his staff towards the demon he had just now noticed—because Inuyasha let him, he let his aura shine through.

His eyes wondered to the… the _demon_ slayer, yeah, that's what Sango was, who had grasped her large weapon and prepared her stance for attack, he could tell she flushed with confusion for a moment as her eyes lingered around his sure to be odd choice of wardrobe to them. Jeans, a black belt, a white T-shirt with random black graphic print upon it and his vintage brown leather bomber, "are you with Naraku?"

Naraku, right, he remembered that… former fellow half-demon, he did something—that's right, Kagome told him. He tore Kikyou away, the priestess he once loved. Worse, the thought just struck his mind, he was the bastard that killed Kagome and his… no, he couldn't think of that. He took a deep breath in through his nostrils then out through his mouth before he bothered to try and form a sentence right as his past-self sprung out his sword—now that he thought about _that_ it might have been a good idea to bring it with him on this little journey, huh?

"Who the fuck are you?" He sure enjoyed to curse.

He stood face to face with who he once was—he couldn't even explain how odd of a sensation that was—and the world was still in one piece, it would seem… alright, well, that's good, he supposed. He had an overwhelming need to blow the half-breed off, though, just to piss him off more—what did that say about him? "Where's Kagome?"

His past-self grasped the sword that had transformed tighter, "what do you want with her?"

"God, was I this stupid?" He muttered to himself below his breath, "use your nose, moron."

He narrowed his eyes on him before he opened mouth to protest only to have whatever it was get stuck on the tip of his tongue, their scents were alike… more than Sesshomaru and his, it was a mutated form of his own—what he'd imagine he'd smell like he was a pure demon. "Wh-Who the hell are you?"

"Inuyasha?" Sango whispered as she looked to the stunned usually sizzling man than to Miroku.

"_Where_ is Kagome?" He repeated, "I know she came here yesterday. Is she alright?"

Even though it was more than apparent that the monk did not understand the situation at hand whatsoever, his cock brow said that enough, he bothered to reply, "she… was taken, last night."

"What?" He snarled, "where? What the fuck is wrong with you? She was here _one_ freakin' day! One! You really do fail!"

"Hey!" Inuyasha bickered back, "who the—?"

"You let Kagome die," he spat at himself… how strange, but it muted his past-self, "and use the shikon jewel to become a full demon. You wait five hundred years to see her again and then you fuck up again and let her go back down the well when you knew you shouldn't have!" It wasn't really _him_ that he was made with it was himself, his current self, he knew he shouldn't have let her go. He knew… in his gut, that she would not return if he allowed it. He conned his mind into settling his heart's dispute, claiming it was just jealousy instead of an omen... how wrong he had been but...

He'd lose her… _again_.

"W-Wait…" the monk seemed to be the only one to fully understand that, "don't… tell us that you are…?"

"Inuyasha?" Sango stuttered.

He just nodded before scowling out a sigh, "fuck me. What took her? Which way did they go?" He'd just have to handle it himself, he'd get her back, he couldn't break his word to the woman he _very_ much wanted to become his mother-in-law... and maybe even if he was really lucky a grandmother someday?

"Wait…" Shippou awed, it seemed the news—while grand, he had to admit—had struck them all into a gawking, useless, stage. "You… Inuyasha?"

"What the hell was the point of you, anyway?" He couldn't help but snicker to the little thing upon Sango's shoulder, "why did we keep you around? I can't imagine you ever came in use."

"What's that supposed to mean!?"

"I don't have time for this," he scoffed before shaking his head and thrusting his hands into his jacket pocket, "tell me right now where Kagome is."

"We are… unsure," Sango stammered, "last night a horde of demons attacked, one was a new incarnation of Naraku's, we were all too preoccupied that none of us… noticed him snatch Kagome. It wasn't until it was too late that we saw him take her away."

"Which way?" He grumbled, useless, all of them. He wasn't the only one that failed to protect Kagome that day, Miroku and Sango had to have been there, too, right? That was the day he killed Naraku… wasn't it?

"It seemed like North," Miroku replied with a tilt of his head in that direction.

"Fuck my life," he grunted to himself before he turned to head off that way. This was absolute _bullshit_ how could that girl get in _so_ much trouble in such a short amount of time?

"W-Wait," it was refreshing to hear his past-self stumble over his words so, "what… I…"

"I suppose," he sighed as he turned around to look at the trio—well, there were four of them but did the small one really count? "If you must… you can come with me." Perhaps they'd be of use eventually… or maybe he'd end up killing them all out of annoyance, who knew?

"We should," Sango stated with certainty as she strutted over to him, her eyes locked intently with his dull golden gaze all the way. When she was but a few inches away from him her bluntness struck him, she reached out and grasped his left ear tightly and tugged at it. The woman had more strength than he would have given her credit for, he bit his lips and cringed. "I don't know if I believe you at all. This could be a trap, after all, you are apparently far too good tempered to be the _actual_ Inuyasha."

"Hey!" His former voice snickered.

"Look," he hoofed, "I don't remember you much," it took a moment for him to even recall her name again, "Sango, I don't remember any of you, really. Just very vaguely, at best, so if you push your luck with me I really would not have issues with," but he stopped himself, choking on own words. Kagome would surely take issue with him doing anything violent towards Sango and he _was_ going to get her back… he had to. He really, really, had to… he didn't want to have to stay in this time and wait _another_ five-hundred years for her. No, he'd go mad. He'd die. He couldn't...

"With what?" She narrowed her mahogany eyes upon him, "I dare you to try."

"I could kill you with my pinky finger," he mocked.

"Now that cocky voice sounds like Inuyasha," Miroku chuckled lightly.

"Hey," again, his-past self growled.

"But I agree with Sango, this is… all very strange, we should not trust you."

He just rolled his eyes and turned about, "whatever. See ya'. When I get Kagome back she's coming home with me."

"Not if I find her first!" his far more immature self declared as he shot forward, casting a blast of wind onto him as he sped by.

"Idiocy," he muttered to himself with a sigh before leaping off. He was sure it would take half his effort to catch up to his former self and pass him, which was true, though it did fuel the fire that burned in his old self's heart so he would pick up the pace and try to catch up.

Weird… strange, ironic even maybe? That he was racing with himself, rather literally. One thing was certain; he couldn't find the humor in it.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

No…

It struck him as he stilled to a fumbled stop, scoffing up the front of his fine, Italian leather, tri-buckle, brown ankle boots that had been flawless up until that moment. Yes, he had become a stylish man that spent far too much money on a pair of shoes—and pretty much everything else—but he hadn't anything else do to, now did he?

All of that was besides the point, though, as he weakly took a meek half step forward.

No…

He heard himself land behind him, panting up a storm at that, too, and a few minutes later the scent of a cat demon, the demon slayer, fox demon, and monk catch up to him. It was only then that, apparently, he caught his breath enough to yell, "what the hell!?"

He disregarded that as his gaze kept scanning over the scene before him; over and over and over… he knew this land, this barren, empty… the way the slim moon shined upon it only made it worse. This was the place… he could feel it rip at his weakly throbbing heart, this was where he failed…

"_No, Kagome, no!" He kept up the useless nonsense that spouted out of his trembling lips as he pulled her tattered body towards him. There was no hope that she'd reply, that she'd somehow give her final words of comfort like an 'it's alright, I forgive you' like he so desperately wanted. There was no hope that he would get to tell her how he really felt, either. Did she die thinking he still didn't care?_

_At least she wasn't wearing her school girl uniform… it was a once sure to be beautiful flowing blue baby-doll dress that was now tainted with nothing but her own crimson liquid. His shaking hand that did not hold her up against his body floated down to her stomach. No… no, he could smell a scent he wished he never knew. _He raised his hand up to his nose as he fell to his knees upon the hard dirt as more of his memory poured through him_. He failed. He failed majorly; he failed to protect Kagome… to protect his… his… it was right then that a pain struck through his shoulder to cause a muffled scream._

"_We aren't done, Inuyasha," that malice marred voice chuckled. "Don't you want your—?"_

"Hey!?" His own voice pestered him as a foot jabbed the very shoulder he thought was wounded. It wasn't until that that he was able to snap out of the memory.

"Are… you alright?" Sango asked wearily as she walked over to kneel down near him, but out of arms reach just to be safe.

It took a great deal of effort for him to pry his gaze from the ground and look over to the demon slayer—where had _she_ had been when that was happening? Where had the monk? Where had help been?

"Kagome died here," he confessed in a meek murmur only to repeat it in a steady whisper to himself one more time before he removed his hand from his face and weakly rose up.

"What?" Sango breathlessly sped as she, too, shot up.

"What do you mean?" The half-demon to his left bickered.

Thankfully, her scent was only vaguely on the land, her safe scent… bloodless scent. He took a deep breath to shake the feeling that tore at his inners, "I… only remember bits and pieces of it. It was five hundred years ago, after all," and he had them erased but he needn't mention that, "but Naraku killed her right here. I remember that much. This land… it is burned into my mind."

"You're lying! I wouldn't let Kagome die!" the half-demon accused with an acidic edge.

We? I? Me? Which should he use while addressing himself? _I_ because _he_ hadn't yet let Kagome die, where they even the same person…? "She was supposed to be at home, she wasn't supposed to have come back… there was a fog of poison looming around, I couldn't see anything, smell anything, then she shot an arrow and called my name only to give away her position to Naraku. I didn't know what had happened until it was too late."

"It takes a great deal of determination, I am sure, to wait as long as you have," Miroku mused—though, still with a bit of doubt within his voice.

"Determination hadn't anything to do with it," _guilt_ did. "Last night was the new moon, wasn't it?" He grumbled as he looked up into the sky, that was how a horde of demons could pry Kagome away from him but… that meant she had _choice_ to stay the entire day. She choice to break her word to him, she choice not to return before school to him… did that mean she choice the old him over the new?

"Yeah," the half-demon muttered.

"Hm," he nodded briefly before his golden gaze moved down to his shoes, "fuck me!" he grunted as he lifted his left leg up in a straight line, "I scuffed my shoe!"

"What…?" Sango mumbled.

"Why are you complaining about _that_?" The half-demon disputed with his aggravated edge.

"Fuck you," the demon growled back as he stomped his foot against the ground, "do you have any idea how much these things coasted?"

"Kagome's missing!"

That did mean more, he supposed, so he let his grievance go with another heavy sigh. Kagome probably wouldn't have approved of him spending over 15,000 yen on a pair of shoes anyway.

"They're funny looking," Shippou squabbled as he leaped onto the fellow pure-bloods shoulders and look down at his boots.

"This coming from a squirrel that doesn't even wear shoes," he growled back.

"I'm not a squirrel! I'm a fox demon!"

"Keh," he muttered before leaping off, Shippou slid from his shoulder and almost landing upon the ground with a great thud but Sango caught him before that could happen.

"He does seem to vaguely act like you," Miroku declared as he grabbed his chin to ponder, "but… different."

"Mature-ish," Sango suggested but with difficulty.

"Still a jerk!" Shippou shouted.

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted as his always amber gaze followed… his future-self? Did he believe that? Into the horizon.

Did he really… lose Kagome? The past few weeks had been hellish on him, he hadn't known where she was—well, he knew she was in her world—but not why she hadn't returned like she promised in her supposed 'twenty minutes' until he jumped into the well to discover he could not travel through it any longer. It closed up… he tried to play it off like it didn't matter, that it was for the best even maybe but it wasn't. He missed her, though he'd never admit it, he barely could to himself. He worried of her, he wondered if she thought about him as much as he did her, he wanted her back and she finally did the other night just for him to…

Seriously and severely fuck up and lose her all over again. This time without the reassurance that she was safe in her boring era… this time she was lost to Naraku. His blood boiled at the thought as he leaped ahead of his friends and began to follow whoever that demon was—was it really himself? Too many thoughts plagued him…

Had Naraku hurt her?

Was she even alive?

Had Naraku… no, he couldn't even think about _that_ possibility.

Kagome had to be alright, the man before him was telling a lie, he'd never let anything happen to her. Never, no matter what, he'd never… ever, right?

* * *

**A/N:** First off, sorry if you got confused with whether the past-Inu or the future-Inu was talking, I tried my best to distinguish between the two without repeating words too much but that didn't work out too well…Also, my apologize if anyone thinks I was harsh on Shippou but I suppose my own mild prejudice shined through, ops? I just think he's so useless... and does look more like a squirrel than a fox.

And just an fyi when it comes to 15,000 yen is essentially somewhere between 112 euros, 99 pounds, and 161 dollars.


	20. Dread

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Nineteen: Dread**

Eventually… three days passed and he felt as if he had hit a wall. _Three_ whole days without finding Kagome. _Three_ fucking days of who-know's what being done to her. _Three_ goddamn days of dealing with his bothersome other…

"This is—!" he began to shout only to press his lips together and tighten his clenched fists. The mortals, even his former self, had to stop for the first time in those three days to rest. He hadn't any intention of lingering too long with them. He just needed a break for a brief amount of time before he kept on.

"This is?" He heard the half-breed scoff.

"This is your goddamn fault!" He declared as he spun around to point at the tired looking silver haired man before moving on to the other two so-called 'warriors', "and yours! And yours! I should _never_ have let her comeback here to say goodbye! I should have just kept that fucking well sealed up! I knew nothing good would come of it!"

"You're the one that sealed the well!?" the red clothed man snarled as he jumped up to his feet to stand face-to-face with what he may become.

"Of course I did! I knew she'd die here," he retorted bitterly before turning away and walking to the edge of the small clearing within the woods they had built a fire in.

"Kagome's… she's going to be OK," Shippou assured meekly as he held back a sob, "she's always OK. She's really strong… she'll be OK."

"Of course, Shippou," Sango soothed as she cradled the little boy in her arms, "Kagome is brave and tough, she will be fine."

"Naraku would not kill her," Miroku began as he closed his eyes and let his staff rest upon his shoulder, "he would most likely use her to lore us into a trap."

And that… was what both Inuyasha truly worried about. Naraku didn't have to kill her to traumatize her forever… he could be tormenting her the entire time… doing awful things to her… the very thought rejuvenated them both.

"I'm leaving," they declared in unison, only to have a strange feeling struck both of those, a cringe caused them to glance at the other. It felt so… wrong, to stand face-to-face with youself and know that it wasn't because of a mirror.

"It's," the full blood began with difficulty, "dangerous here, isn't it?"

The half-demon just cocked a brow and narrowed his eyes on him.

"Can't you see that? You know, don't you? That Kagome is better off in her era, that it's safe there, demons don't prowl around, she has a normal life that she enjoys, she goes to school, she has human friends, she can be with her family… when we find her," because they _had_ to find her, "do the right thing. Let her go."

Was it the right thing, though? Or was it what he desperately wanted to be as such? He wanted her to be with him, in the era he now called home, he wanted her to… stay, stay with him, so very, very, very badly.

"I…" the other began as his yellow stare averted him, "Kagome likes it here…"

"Do you," he stopped himself for a moment before taking a breath and letting it go.

"What?" He snarled.

"Nothing," he couldn't… he didn't want to talk about it. 'Do you know the full circumstances of her death?' of course he wouldn't, if he told his past-self of the child that died that day, too, would he let Kagome go safely home? Maybe, but most importantly… he couldn't talk of it. He just shook his head before heading off in the last direction they could catch a scent of Kagome.

Of the woman he loved… of the woman he lost.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

An open field… a beautifully green, yellow flower blossom field. Kagome would like that, he thought, so he had stopped for another break there. Well, that and the fact that he had completely lost track of her scent now. How could this be happening? Why couldn't fate be kind to him for _once_? Why couldn't it allow him the woman he loved? Was… there simply no changing it no matter how hard he tried? Would he always lose her?

"I'm shocked you caught up," he muttered, mildly detached from his words as he heard a few thuds behind him. The scents said it all, Sango, Shippou, Miroku, and his old half-blood self.

"Keh," he scoffed, "you're full of yourself!"

"I don't think you are one to talk," he retorted weakly, not even bothering to turn to see the group, "I lost her scent." And that meant that his other self had, too, because with the help of the shikon jewel and five hundred more years of practice he was more than certain he had a far better nose.

"Naraku will surely show himself soon," Miroku murmured, "he must want to use the fact that he has Kagome against us."

"Yes," Sango agreed, it seemed, though, that they were simply saying that for their own benefit. To try and reassure their fading hopes that their dearest friend was fine.

"Mutt face!" A gust of wind caught all of their attention as their heads turned to the left to see a tornado head straight towards them only to stop a few feet away from Inuyasha, grasping at his red kimono immediately. "I caught your nasty scent and yet no Kagome? Where is she?!"

"Fuck off, Kouga!" Inuyasha retorted as he freed himself from the wolf demon's grasp.

"She better be alright, you son of a bitch!" Kouga threatened before his hard gaze moved to the newer Inuyasha, "who's this? A relative of yours?"

"Something like that," he scoffed.

He had forgotten how Kouga looked until that moment… well, Kagome was right when she said that Takeo looked exactly like his father. That was rather impressive, he supposed.

"What the hell are you staring at so intently?" Kouga growled.

"A mangy wolf, it would seem," he wittily replied before turning his stare back towards the field before him. It took no effort for him to reach up and grab the foot that was heading towards his head and hold it there as the wolf struggled to pull it back. "A _weak_ mangy wolf, at that."

"You bastard!" Kouga cursed once Inuyasha finally released his leg, "what are you!? That mutt-face's brother or somethin'?!"

"Move along, cretin," he demanded, "I'm busy."

"Why you—!"

"Kouga!" Ginta and Hakkaku panted once they finally caught up to collapse at the side of their leader.

"Ah, grand, a pack of fowl smelling imps," Inuyasha muttered to himself.

"I'll kill you!" Kouga threatened.

That got a smirk out of Inuyasha as he finally turned all the way to see the wolf, "I dare you to try. I'd like that, actually, I think marring you would make me feel better."

"You," the wolf snarled but before he could get another word out the fox child jumped in to stop the impending fight.

"Kagome's missing! We're looking for her, Kouga!"

That seemed to cease the sizzling hatred that had built up in the wolf almost right-away as he turned to look at the two humans and little demon, "what?"

"Naraku has her," Miroku admitted, "we were on her trail but it ends here."

"You idiots!" he shouted, "I knew leaving her with a half-breed—"

"Fuck you, Kouga!"

"You should have watched her better!" Kouga turned to the one who had addressed him, "come on, Ginta, Hakkaku! We're going to go retrieve Kagome!"

"Yes, Kouga," they both weekly murmured before Kouga disappeared in his whirl-wind and headed across the field, them following a few metes behind him until he smacked right into something and fell to the ground mid-way through the flock of flowers.

"A… barrier?" Miroku awed, "do you think that means…?"

"Naraku's fortress?" Sango gasped, "maybe that's why Kagome's scent was lost here!"

"It must be a trap, though," Miroku mused as he lifted his hand to cup his chin.

"Fuck that," the demon dog dared as he ran over to right where the wolf had been knocked out, his two followers attended to him loyally. Apparently, touching it would be a bad idea.

"I've got this," the one of them with Tetsusaiga declared as he unsheathed his most trusted sword, allowing it to transform first before he focused all his might into striking at the shield. It was but a flicker, for only a few moments, but enough time for the two of them to slip in and—to their shock—their two human comrades and cat demon as well.

"Miasma," Sango warned as she placed her mask on, "be careful."

"It's quiet," Miroku whispered. All their eyes glanced about the seemingly empty castle; the area was built on dead ground, purple mist mingled in the air all about.

"Welcome!" a boastful voice echoed about.

"I don't have time for this!" The full-demon declared as he removed his leather jacket and threw it to the side, "just show yourself so I can kill you already!"

"Oh, and who are _you_?" The man questioned with an almost joyful sounding laugh.

He didn't bother to reply, he just cracked his knuckles and sped forward towards the castle, slamming into the wall and breaking the wood. Quickly, a figure shot out of the gloomy castle, flipped about in the air, and landed not too far from the trio.

"You're the one that took Kagome," the half-breed growled, "where is she?"

"In there, in there," he shrugged with a nod towards the castle, "_but_ you won't find her. It's like a maze in there and only I can tell you where she is."

"Uh-huh," the other grumbled as he leaped off of the porch of the castle to stand by his former self, his golden gaze glancing over the demon, "I think I'll find her just fine."

"I don't know who you are," he scoffed, "but you are a fellow demon, are you not? What are you doing aiding these things?"

"I want Kagome back," he replied, "if you give her to me right now I might not kill you."

That just got a whole new set of laughter out of the colorful man, "is that so? I will have to respectfully decline. When Naraku hired me to take that girl he did not mention that there would be a dog demon with such spunk in the group. I have to say, it simply makes it more interesting."

"You aren't one of Naraku's incarnations?" Miroku questioned.

"Me? No, no," he shook his head lightly, "he gave me a rather large jewel shard to take the girl and kill all of you. I think it's worth it."

"Just a jewel _shard_?" Inuyasha smirked as he brushed some of his jet-black hair out of his face, "you'd need more of that to defeat me."

"Like I said, I enjoy your spunk, how about we see about that though?" he grinned as he ripped the spear he had tied to his back off and pointed it towards him, "let's play!" With a slash a blue light blasted from his weapon and towards the Inuyashas, the both dodge it—one with far less effort than the other.

"I'm going to kill you!" One cried out as he slashed his sword towards the man, emanating a yellow blast of his own that was counteracted with another slash of the man's weapon.

"Did I mention Naraku also gave me full permission to do with your woman, half-breed, as I like?" He taunted right as their weapons clashed, metal to metal, their gazes locked intentionally—one filled with murderous thrill, the other burning hatred.

"If you laid a finger on Kagome," he started with a growl.

"You'll what?" But before he could not gain an answer for he felt a tearing pain strike threw his chest. His eyes widened as they glanced down to see a hand threw his chest, his still beating heart grasped tightly in it before it withdrew.

"Slice him in two," the pure-blood requested as he squashed the heart in hand. He didn't have to ask himself twice before the other tore his sword threw the man. "Idiot," he scoffed to the half-demon, "that thing was weak, how could you let it take Kagome?"

"That was rather remarkable," Miroku mumbled to Sango.

"Yes, Inuyasha has become stronger over the many years," she nodded, "it's like… he can turn off and on his aura."

"You—!"

"Shut up," the demon sighed, "I have to find Kagome now."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Time trickled away as the maze carried on, a turn here, a turn there, and a constant series of the same—walls, floors, ceilings. It carried on so much so that they were gradually walking less, panting more, and mouths drying.

"I have to ask," Miroku began, breaking the silence that had ensnared them for so long, "it should have been far more difficult to kill that demon than it was. He had a large chunk of the shikon," one that Sango now carried, "yet it took no time for you to sneak up behind him and rip his heart out."

"Keh," the canine grunted, "I used the _full_ shikon jewel to become what I am. I have had five hundred years to perfect my skills," he scoffed a weak laugh, "why would some petty demon get in my way?" Takeo, the little runt that he was, could have even killed that demon without effort. After all, if one survived what killed most all of them then they were the strongest of the strong.

"Well, I suppose you can find solace in the fact that you become as strong as you want to, Inuyasha," Sango sassed.

"Who are you talking to?" The half-breed bickered.

"That is true," Miroku mumbled, "we will have a hard time if we need to constantly address you two as Inuyasha."

"Shiro," the older one muttered, "you can call me 'Shiro'."

"Why?" Shippou grumbled as he lazily hung off of Sango's shoulders, his lids heavy.

"Because that's what people have been calling me for a few years," Shiro sighed, "this is ridiculous… Maybe I shouldn't have killed him. I should have gotten him to take me to Kagome."

"You care about her a great deal still, hm?" Miroku couldn't help but pry, after all, what did they have to do besides talk as they simply became more lost with each turn?

A smile crept up his lips but none could see that since he was in the lead, of course he did… would it be wrong to taunt his former self about the night Kagome and him shared just four days ago? Probably and he was sure that Kagome would be embarrassed so he bit his tongue and carried on until just a hint of that blessed scent swirled up in his nose. He stopped to take a deeper breath in.

"What?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Kagome's scent," he replied before he took off, Inuyasha not too far behind him and the others lagging behind. Eventually, Inuyasha, too, picked up on his scent so he could stop following the other to sprint forward. At the same time they broke through a wall to a room that held nothing but Kagome, lying in the dead center

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, pushing Shiro out of the way so he could slide down and pull her into his embrace in one swift motion. She was taking, deep, long, breaths, her eyes were shut, and her heart still beat—that's all that mattered. "Kagome?"

Shiro knelt down on the opposite side of Inuyasha, his eyes glancing about the sleeping girl. Shortly afterwords the two humans entered the makeshift door but lingered a distance away. Shiro's pure ambers glanced up to the half-breed who's gaze was only locked on the beauty's face… he had not noticed anything more than her red cheeks, the fact her hair was lightly damp, and how she smelled as if she was washed recently—leaving behind no scent but her own. The far more pessimistic one had noticed her bruised thighs… her bruised _inner_ thighs. Hadn't he warned her about wearing her uniform in such a time?

"In… Inuyasha?" A meek murmur escaped her parched lips as her head tilted more towards the man that held her.

"Kagome," he replied, "are you OK?"

"Nn," was all she could reply with before her eyes slightly fluttered open, they lingered on him only briefly before they ventured around the room—her two friends caught her attention for a moment—then on Shiro. Her breath hitched in her throat as her hand reached out to him, which he took promptly with both of his, "Inuyasha."

"You'll be alright," he assured as she pushed away, weakly, from the past to have the future, allowing him to take her into his arms so she could wrap hers around his neck and rested her forehead against his shoulder. If he had been looking anywhere but the girl who started to shake with sobs then he'd noticed—and mostly relished—the look upon the other Inuyasha's face, the dumbfounded shock, or the same that was written across the face of her two friends. Of course, though, he wasn't. He couldn't. Nothing in the world mattered but what he held in his arms—damaged goods?

"Inuyasha," she stammered in between gasps for air.

"It's alright," he kept up in a sweet, soothing, whisper as he held her tighter and stroked his hand that had dried blood of the demon on it through her cool, moist, locks of ebony. "I'm here. I'll take care of you. Everything will be fine. Kagome."

"Inuyasha," she simply repeated.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"She'll be fine," Kaede declared after she allowed the rest in.

"Are you sure?" Shiro inquired as he knelt down beside the sitting girl.

"I'm fine," Kagome smiled, she couldn't even recall why she had cried. "I really am. Don't worry."

"We're so glad that you are alright and back," Sango sighed with relief before wrapping her arms around her friend, "we were worried."

"I really am fine," Kagome promised with her usual joyful laugh, "you guys worry too much."

"What happened?" Miroku inquired as he sat down to his half-demon companion, "you were gone for three days."

"Three days?" Kagome muttered, "really? I thought… I was only gone a day. Really? Three?"

Miroku nodded as his eyes wondered over to Sango, "do you not recall being gone that long?"

"I don't…" she whispered before looking over to Shiro, "remember much… of anything, now that I think about it. It's like… there's a fog clouding my memories… like I was…"

"Drugged?" He inquired listlessly, "don't worry, you are fine now." There was no need to remember a thing… no need to recall whatever restless hell she might have gone through. It took a few moments as their eyes were locked before the panic painted upon her hazels faded. "Let me take you home now."

"I…" she started as her attention moved over to Inuyasha then away from both of them, "I…"

"I told your mother I'd bring you home," he stated firmly, winning her gaze back, "she must be worried out of her mind. I'm not saying you cannot come back," though he'd very much like it to be so, "but I _did_ give your mother my word. Please, Kagome?"

"My mom?" she mumbled, "oh… I've been gone for so long and I never told her I was coming here. I should go home to tell her I'm OK." With that she got up and motioned for Shiro to do the same, "I'll see you guys tomorrow, OK?"

"Alright," Shippou pouted, "but you promise?"

"I do," she had to give the little fellow a hug and spending some time saying goodbye to her other friends--those most was reserved for the weary Inuyasha.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Thank you, Inuyasha," Mrs. Higurashi bowed her head to him lightly before she gave him a warm cup of tea, "I was worried… but I knew you'd keep your word."

"Of course," it was nice that at least one of them had faith in hm.

"She told me she's returning tomorrow… to see them again," she sighed lightly as she raised her tea to her lips, "I don't want her to go back anymore… I miss my daughter. I worry about my daughter, I… if she continues she will not return. I fear that more than anything. She loves you… if you…" if you could, would you make her stay? That was what her eyes asked him, he was sure, that's what her frown beckoned for, and that's exactly what he wanted, too… but how? They both knew there was only so much they could do, that she was headstrong with a spirited way about her, and there was no stopping her when she put her mind to something. He could, he supposed, but the chains back on the well but... she'd only get flustered with him, then.

His pride, was it that...? Wanted to have it so there was nothing but _him_ persuading her to stay in her era.

Still, he nodded as his eyes wondered to the dark sky just outside the window, "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," she whispered back before he finished off of his cup of tea and headed up the stairs only to run into Kagome midway to her room.

She laughed lightly as she stepped to the side, "sorry, I'm going to take a bath. Are you going to stay longer?"

"I am, just to make sure you are alright," he replied with a nod, "I'm going to go take a nap on your bed for a bit, is that OK?" After all, he hadn't gotten more than a few moments of shut-eye since she went missing.

"Yeah, of course," she nodded before heading to the bathroom and he the room. It took no time at all for him to fall to sleep upon her soft, warm, frilly bed.

"Inuyasha," he heard a weak whisper and felt a shake, "Inuyasha," he heard once more, "Inuyasha?"

"Uh?" He grumbled back as he turned over in bed, away from the noise and the pushing.

"Inuyasha!" He jerked up after that one and finally looked to the girl that had her hair tied up and wore nothing but a towel and smelled of body wash and her orange-mint shampoo, "Inuyasha…"

"Huh? What?" He grumbled as he ran his hand through his ruffled hair.

"Inuyasha," she sighed shakily as she closed her door, locked it, and let her towel drop, "wh… where did all these… come from? What… what happened to me?"

He swallowed shallowly before his ambers moved from her dread tainted expression to her revealed body. Her upper arms had hand marks on it, her stomach was a little bruised, her thighs… then her shoulders. She turned around to show him what took a great deal of strength to look into a mirror to expose to herself. A few more minute bruises were scattered around her back, a line mark around her ankles, but it was the strange bite mark on her left hip that got him to get up and walk over to hover his hand over it. It was an oval, red fused purple mark that had sharp teeth imprints circling it fully.

"Inuyasha, how'd this happen?" she whispered as she turned her head only slightly to the side.

"Kagome," he hushed back before she spun around and pushed him back a bit, he took another willing step until he sat upon the bed. His eyes fixated upon her determined expression as she walked over and placed a knee on either side of his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck so she was face-to-face to him.

"What happened?" she repeated in a timid tone.

"I don't know," he replied with a small shake of his head, he couldn't keep his ambers locked with her hazels much like she couldn't look him in the face. Her breath was deep yet erratic before she shut her eyes and leaned in to kiss him, at first it was only a gentle press of skin to skin before she tried to expand it as she pressed her body onto his her arms tightening around him.

"Wait," he whispered as he removed her arms, tenderly, from him and turned his face away from hers, "no… you're upset right now."

"Jerk," she scoffed as she slapped him in the chest and slide off his lap to grab the folded PJs that were upon her dress and speedily put them on. Yes… it was true, she wasn't thinking straight but what could she infer from the injuries? From the lack of memory? From the small ache between her thighs than… than? _No_. She didn't want that, she felt her body tremble slightly as she bit her lips together and blinked away tears. She didn't want to know any other man in _that_ way besides Inuyasha… somehow, for some reason, it just seemed right to throw herself at him… as if it would cleanse her, as if it would erase whatever might have transpired. Whatever horror she had blocked…

"Kagome," he began after she had pulled on her shirt and tightened the string on her pants. It took some time but she finally turned around to look at him, "come here."

He beckoned her with a small wave of his hand and she nodded lightly as she walked over to allow him to pull the covers down so she could crawl into the bed, "you're not leaving, right?" She sped when he only leaned lightly away.

"No," he assured as he undid his belt.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, maybe she made a move on him a moment ago but her senses had returned enough now that was the _last_ thing she wanted.

"I don't want to sleep in my jeans, they're uncomfortable," he replied as he kicked them off before climbing under the covers with her, she quickly took her place in his strong, safe, arms and buried her face into his chest. She could faintly smell whatever expensive cologne he wore—leather and the wilderness invaded her senses, or was that just the way he smelled now? She closed her eyes and took a set of steady breaths… it was comforting.

"It's funny," she mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

"What is?" he asked with his lips to the top of her head, one of his hands stroked her back gently as his other held her to him.

"How different you two are…"

"Me and who?"

"The other Inuyasha… It's like you two aren't the same person at all. Who would have thought that he'd become so well off and wear such expensive clothe?" She lightly, silently, laughed before biting her bottom lip. "Why'd you change so much?"

"Would you rather I have stayed the same way forever?"

"No… on the outside you are really different, _really_, but… here," she pressed her hand to his chest, "is the same, I think. That sounds stupid, huh? And corny and cliché but it's true… I can tell, when you hold me like this, that you're still you. You still have a good heart, you still… love me."

"More than anything," he swore. Some more hush took them, he wouldn't have started up another conversation if he knew she was asleep but her hand still traced a design on his chest, he could still hear steady, shallow breaths, and even her eyelashes as she blinked. If he allowed her to be so quiet then she'd just think about the past few days, wouldn't she? "It's woman's fault."

"What?" She sighed.

"Why I changed… on the outside, it's Akiko, Chi, and Mi's doing. Living with those women… well, it became a hobby for them to take me on _god-awful_ shopping trips and forcing me to buy new wardrobes at each turn of the century. I guess… somewhere along the way it just became a habit to buy the best."

That, thankfully, got her to laugh openly as she moved her hand from outlining the strange pattern on his shirt to wrap her arm under his and around him. "Is that so?"

"Uh-huh," he could finally smile knowing she was, "you know… I'd buy—"

"Inuyasha," she hushed.

"I would, whatever you want, you deserve it."

"Mm-hm," she nodded her head against his chest, "I'm fine, thank you."

"Just throwing that out there."

"Goodnight, Inuyasha."

"Night, Kagome."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered as she propped herself up with one of her arms and with her other she pushed him slightly. He looked so peaceful as he spewed one of his legs and arms off her small bed, his others were once tangled with her but she had broken that bond to sit up. Really, she'd like to just sit there and watch him as he slept for a while but she couldn't, the pulsing need in her made her keep prying at him, "Inuyasha?"

"Wha…?" He grumbled as he tilted his head to face her but still refused to open his eyes. He mustn't have slept while she was away… he must have worried terribly about her and that did kill her but…

"Inuyasha, please wake up," she whispered once more as she raised her hand to cup his face and stroke his cheek with her thumb, "_please_?"

"I'm awake," he sighed before he pried his eyes open to look up her body to those pretty eyes that stared down at him. "What?"

"I…" she pressed her lips together briefly before lowering her head enough so she could kiss him quickly, "Inuyasha, I…"

This again? He didn't want to be a bad boyfriend—he _was_ still her boyfriend, right?—and take her when she's in such a wreck of an emotional state but there really is only so much a man can take… he closed his eyes as he rubbed his hand over them, "Kagome, really, not that."

"No, no," she assured, "but… Inuaysha… I _really_… I can't sleep. I need to know what happened to me. I just… I need to know."

"Kagome," he began but when he looked back up to see such a tormented need on her face he gave in, "I know… a doctor that I could take you to."

"But… with a doctor they'd want me to explain what happened and they might want me to file a police report or," she panicked but he put a stop to that as he sat up and pulled her into his embrace.

"She's a friend of mine; she has a practice in Tokyo. She's a demon, too, and who a lot of us go to if we have any problems. She won't ask any questions, she'll just give you an exam."

"_She_," Kagome grumbled as she grabbed his shirt and buried her face into it again. Why'd it always have to be a 'she'? Didn't he have any male friends…? Oh my lord, now that she stopped to think about it all his friends that she met were _only_ females! What a dog! Really, such a thing shouldn't bother her so much when other pressing matters were at hand but she couldn't help but feel that pull of jealousy all the same... the absolute and utter desire to be the _only_ 'she' that mattered in his life.

"I know a guy doctor, too, I go to him," he assured, "but I was pretty sure… under the circumstance you'd rather go to her."

"Oh," she sighed, "OK. I want to go to girl..."

"Though so... Alright, I'll take you first thing tomorrow," he promised as he motioned for them to lie back down but she only pulled away.

"No, can't we go now?"

"Kagome," he sighed, "come on, it's two in the morning. You need to sleep."

"The sooner the better, right? Please?" She pouted with furrowed brows, "or do you think she won't see us this late? Please? Inuyasha?"

"No…" he muttered, "she'll see us. Just…" he struggled for a moment before finally getting out of the warm bed and grabbing his pants, "get changed into something warm and I'll take you now."

"Thank you," she'd smile but… it just wouldn't come, no matter how much she'd like it to.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If, by chance, all things end so that Kagome could be with one of the Inuyashas, who'd you like it to be? It's really only out of curiosity that I ask since I'll still go with what I think best ends the story. I'm not sure how I want the story to end yet, though, I have a few scenarios in mind...

So, the whole time/travel/paradox/thing had my mind spinning for a very long time. I didn't know how to treat it or anything like that and then my older brother finally forced me to watch the new Star Trek movie and that gave me my answer! It was such a relief, and the movie actually turned out to be very entertaining. I thought it would be geeky and stupid, it's always nice to be wrong sometimes. So, by Inuyasha interfering in fate like he did by waiting 500 years he's changed the course of history and created an alternate dimension of sorts, hence why past-Inu and future-Inu can see each other and not have time collapse on itself or anything dreadful like that.

Anyway, enjoy and please review.


	21. Diagnosed

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty: Diagnosed**

"This isn't going to be pleasant," were the worst possible words to hear from a doctor—of course, a dashing doctor, at that. What did it say about her that she still had time to briefly loath the woman for what most likely transpired between her and Inuyasha? After all, why else would she not have any problem at all when he called her up and asked her to meet him and his 'girlfriend'—it did bring fleeting joy to her heart to hear him say that—at her practice at three in the morning? She didn't need an explanation, like Inuyasha had promised, all he had to do was ask her to do a full examination on Kagome and he emphasized for her to be _kind_.

Of course, the words were never truer, the entire experience was as far from pleasant as Kagome thought humanly—or demonly, as the case may be—possible. She had contemplated asking Inuyasha to be in the examination room with her, to hold her hand through whatever processes was to follow, but by the end of it when she was allowed to put back on her undergarments, sweater, jeans, socks and boots she was happy that he hadn't been there. It would have simply been too embarrassing.

"I'm going to go out where Inuyasha is," she declared as she glanced back at the doctor as she removed her gloves and threw them away in the trash.

"Alright," she replied without even glancing up at Kagome while she picked up the chart she had been writing on off and on throughout the entire ordeal.

With a heavy breath, that's exactly what she did. He was lazily lying on a bench, staring intently at the ceiling. If it weren't for the fact that he wasn't blinking at all, she might have been pissed off to see him so comfortable. It didn't take her announcing her presence for him to spin around to sit up properly and look over to her.

"Hey," she sighed.

"How'd it go?" He inquired as he pushed up to walk over to her. She just shrugged, averting his gaze all the while, "not fun, huh?"

"You have no idea," she grumbled, allowing him to wrap his arms around her and pull her into a loose embrace.

"Well… there is good news," the doctor declared as she came out into the waiting room, pushing up her designer glasses before looking at the scene before her that only deepened the dull look upon her face. "Of course, with good news always comes bad news, which would you like first?"

Kagome glanced up to Inuyasha before she pressed her lips, the bad always made the good sound better, right? But, and reasonably so, she chickened out in the last moment, "the… good."

"There are no obvious signs of vaginal tearing," she stated swiftly, "which leads me to the conclusion that you were not sexual assaulted."

She could hear Inuyasha let go of the breath he was holding. "And the… bad?" Kagome mumbled as she turned her head so she could see the doctor that stood behind her some distance.

"That bite mark on your thigh, I haven't seen it in _ages_ and it took some time for me to recall why it looked familiar. It's from a munashii demon, I was certain they had all perished in the Incident," she mused over that for a moment with furrowed brows before continuing on, "they are vicious fuckers. It would explain the bruises, too, they simply enjoy inflicting such pain on their victims and it would also explain the memory loss."

"I… don't know what a munashii is," Inuyasha mumbled.

"Yes, well, they were rare before the Incident and—like I said—I was under the impression they all died. They are like…" she bit her bottom lip as she glanced up, trying to locate the proper word, "parasites, yes. That's it."

"P-p-par…" Kagome stuttered out the word the best she could, though she couldn't get very far without losing the ability to breath. Her hands clenched to the warn shirt of Inuyasha's more.

"Damn it, Tomoko, don't scare her like that," Inuyasha snickered, "tell us what that means."

"Well," she dragged out tauntingly before the stern stare from Inuyasha finally made her sigh and roll her eyes, "it means a variety on things, honestly. She could be infected or it could have just been sucking on her life energy. The latter isn't as bad as the former," she sped up when she saw the ever-so-bad tempered dog was about to start screaming at her again. "I believe it must have sucked some of her life energy because that tends to be why people after encountering them lose chunks of memory. It's essentially a leech sucking up energy instead of blood. Of course, it's not good but it's not deadly and with rest she'll be fine."

"A… and if I was… infected?" She barely managed to get out as she clung to the man that held her more.

"If you were infected," she sighed with a shiver, "I don't even really want to talk about it. It gives me the creeps."

"Tomoko!" he shouted again as he pulled Kagome closer, "you're scaring her on purpose now!"

"I…" she bit her bottom lip before she tugged on a strand of her midnight shaded short hair, "I can't help you if she is and there's not some medical test I can run to magically get the results, Inuyasha. I _am_ sorry but this is as far as I can help you."

"What's it mean if she's infected?" Inuyasha spat, "you can at least tell me that, right?"

"It's a parasite-like-demon… I doubt it infected her, honestly," Tomoko said without a very reassuring, steady voice or look upon her face. "Usually they only infect demons, because our bodies are stronger and better hosts. They latch onto the heart; the only way to kill the parasite is by squashing the heart. Human bodies are generally useless to them since they can only sustain the pressure of being the host for a month, at most, before dying. Demons generally are a few years."

"I killed the demon that took Kagome by ripping his heart out," Inuyasha began, thanking his lucky stars for that being his favorite and the most effective way for killing, "so that means I killed the parasite, right? And Kagome's fine?"

"Well," she dragged out, "_it_ doesn't really transfer into the other body, it dies with the host body, but a part of it…" she shivered once more, "like an egg, essentially takes hold in the host body."

"Oh my god! That's so disgusting!" Kagome cried out as she dug her face into Inuyasha's chest, "ew! Ew! Ew!"

"My thoughts exactly," Tomoko mumbled, "I've never _personally_ had to deal with that… so I don't know what will happen if she is infected… besides the fact that she'll die."

"Do you know anyone that may?"

Tomoko had to take a moment to think about that before she switched her weight from one Gucci pump to another, "the only person I can think of," she mused, "is going to Ohachi, he's pretty well versed in all these really weird stuff. Oh!" she snapped her finger before pointing to Inuyasha, "are you still on good terms with your ex?"

He just stared dully at her, how was he supposed to know which one she was talking about?

"_Ex-_wife? Chiyoko? She might be helpful, too," Tomoko nodded, ever so proud of herself from figuring that out.

"Fuck me," Inuyasha muttered to himself. Could nothing be easy? Couldn't he just have gotten Kagome back safe and sound? Nothing abnormal? "Come on, Kagome."

"Where are we going?" She grumbled as he led her out of Tomoko's practice, giving her a weak thanks before they left.

"Chiyoko's, it's not far away from here…" he sighed as they stepped out onto the street, her hands tightly locked on one of his.

"Inuyasha… I'm scared," she muttered.

"Don't be," he requested as he looked into her eyes, "I'll make sure everything's OK. Do you honestly believe I'd ever let you die?"

"No," she griped as she lowered her head and followed his lead. At least, she _really_ hoped not.

"I _have_ to say," he was fully aware, too, that he was about to put his foot in his mouth and be an utter ass all at once, "that this wouldn't have happened if you stayed away from the well like I told you to."

"I know," she mumbled almost so low that he didn't catch that.

"Kagome," he sighed as he stopped on the sidewalk to pull her into his arms, now he _felt_ like an ass. She wasn't supposed to agree, she was supposed to protest and kick him in the shin or something. "I swear, everything's going to be fine."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Akiko?" Inuyasha awed once the decked out door opened.

"Inu," she grinned as she stretched out one arm welcomingly to him as she stepped aside, it was only then that she caught sight of, "_oh_, and your human. I have to admit, I was _very_ surprised to see that you brought her to the Summit."

"Shouldn't you be in Hokkaido?" He snickered back as he stepped inside the highly decorated—in nothing but the finest antiques—penthouse, he had to tug on his hand that was wrapped in both of Kagome's before she stepped into the place and took of her shoes as he did his.

"There's that transition period, hun, Munchou has another two weeks to put his affairs in order before I take over his post," she gloated, "I knew I could win if I had your support."

"I know, I'm awesome," he muttered as his ambers glanced about, "where's Chi?"

"Sleeping, it's _four_ in the morning," Akiko dragged out, "which leads me to the golden question, what brings you here at _four_ in the morning without as much as a call?"

"I need to talk to Chi," he replied as he led Kagome into the very purple living room and nodded for her to take a seat on the couch, "I need a favor."

"You need a lot of those lately, Inu," she taunted as she leaned against the wall, her salutary ginger eyes wondering up and down Kagome a few times—making her obviously feel even more uncomfortable than she already seemed to be. Kagome only glanced over Akiko for a bit before making sure to keep her gaze away from the revealing woman. She wore a black with golden floral patterned, satin, flyaway shaped baby doll slip. It exposed her flat, perfectly sculpted stomach and her matching thong. At least she wore a golden silk—yet still, short—kimono slip with black trim so her lovely legs were completely showing. She couldn't help but think that _that's_ exactly the type of sexy thing Inuyasha loved to see a woman wear. If it was anyone besides his dear-lesbian friend Akiko she'd be upset to have him stare so intently at her, but she knew it was only out of annoyance that he did so right now.

"I've built up a lot of them, Akiko," he spat back.

"Anata!" He cringed at the lyrical voice before he looked over to see Chiyoko tying her own purple, long, silk kimono slip up. Kagome got the feeling she wasn't wearing anything under that since the loosely V-neck shape of the slip gave just a slight peek of her luscious chest--that were far more prominent than Kagome's, she couldn't help but sigh as she looked away again. She might be infected with a parasite… she might die in a month… yet she still found time to feel more uncomfortable by the fact that she was surrounded by two utterly gorgeous girls and jealous of the way that Inuyasha's ambers lingered on Chiyoko, how it took him a moment to find his voice.

"C-Chi," he cleared his throat as he glanced away, "I need your help."

"Anything, anata," she assured as she walked over to him, taking a step down onto the wooden floor of her living room. Right as her eyes landed on Kagome she smiled and swiftly, perfectly, moved over to sit beside Kagome on the couch. "Good morning, missy."

"Good morning…" she murmured back.

Inuyasha moved to sit down on the other side of Kagome and pull her into his arms. It was only then hat he leaped into explaining what had occurred. She hadn't noticed until she rested her head against his shoulder and felt his warm, safe, embrace tighten around her that she realized how tired she was. How her eyelids felt like they weighed as much as a rock, how her body ached for sleep, or how much slumber pulled at her every moment.

"Oh my," she barely heard Chiyoko awe in a sweet hush, "a munashii, how dreadful."

"Damn, Inu," Akiko muttered, "if there was out there, you'd be the only one that pissed one off enough that it wanted to take your girlfriend."

"Shut up," he growled, "can you help or not, Chiyoko?"

"You are oh so lucky, anata, Ohachi just so happens to be in Tokyo lecturing Takeo on all that he needs to know and do when he takes over as ambassador," Chiyoko got up then to head over to her phone, "I will call him an invite him over."

"Will he help? I get the feeling he doesn't like me much and Kagome's just a mortal…"

"Oh, Ohachi owes me a favor, him and I go back before even the Incident, he will do this for me," Chiyoko chimed as she raised the phone to her ear.

"Thank you, Chiyoko," Inuyasha sighed, "really, I owe you for this."

"No, no, anata, we are friends; friends simply do these types of things for each other."

"Chi…" he coaxed, Kagome couldn't bring herself to look up to whatever affectionate look must have been on his face since his tone was so awe-struck and almost… longing? If nothing else there had to be a very nostalgic look upon his face—perhaps thinking of all the good times when they were wed? It really did kill her to think of the fact that a chunk of his heart belonged to such a stunning woman still…

"Hello, Ohachi, how are you?" Chiyoko began, "I am fine, I know it is very early I hope you do not mind… yes, it is important… do you remember where I live still?... Yes, still the same penthouse… It is a rather long story, but I would very much appreciate your assistance if you are willing to give it…" then she went on to explain to him exactly what Inuyasha had told her. After she was finished she was quiet for a few minutes before she hung up and smiled, "he will be here in a bit."

"You're great, Chi," Inuyasha smiled back.

"I know," she assured, "now, while we are waiting do you mind if I peek into the foggy memories of yours, missy? Important information might be entangled with them."

"Oh?" Kagome murmured as she pulled away from Inuyasha some, her eyes only then looking up to him for an answer as she bit her bottom lip.

"Maybe… it's better that she doesn't remember any of that stuff, Chi," he countered as he looked from Kagome's hazels to Chiyoko's violets.

"Perhaps," she hummed, "but perhaps whatever she has forgotten is the only way to help her?"

"Chi…" he dragged out, "I really think some things are better left forgotten."

"Yes," she matched his tone exactly, "but then you take back memories that you erased, did you not?"

She had him there, so he sighed and looked over to Akiko who simply shrugged—she had no part in whatever madness was occurring—then he looked back to Kagome, "it's up to you. If you don't want to _no_ one will blame you, Kagome."

"I…" she sighed before pulling even more away from Inuyasha so his embrace was just a loose touch at most, "alright…"

"OK," Chiyoko chimed as she placed her hands upon Kagome's head, "now, close your eyes and just think about the things you do remember while you were with the munashii."

"OK," Kagome mumbled as she did just that. She felt a bit of a static shock jolt through her before mangled memories returned.

"_Does it hurt?" The demon with a fang laced mouth questioned; his eyes utterly red. She just squirmed and muffled a scream as he held her down with his tight, painful, grip upon her upper arms. "Good, _priestess_. Mm, when Naraku came to me and gave me a shikon shard to kill you and your friends I only thought—ah, a boring task. Then I saw _you_ and felt your luscious life energy and couldn't help but snatch you. He _did_ tell me I could do whatever I wanted with all of you…"_

_Then she felt a piercing pain as he lowered his head to her hip, she couldn't help but scream then. "You taste so good… I love the flavor that the holy emanate. Your friends will follow the trail I left them, they will come here in a day or so—at most—I will kill them and then be able to keep you all to myself. The shikon shard will make this body a perfect host," she saw through her watery eyes him place his hand upon his own chest, "it will last decades longer than it should. Don't fret, I'll keep you near at _all _times. Why would I give up something that tastes so divine? Besides," he chuckled, "your energy is so powerful. I haven't felt this strong in years."_

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered as she jerked away from Chiyoko's grasp and wrapped her arms around herself as she shut her eyes even tighter. "Are you OK?"

"Let's give them a moment, darling," Chiyoko requested as she glided over to Akiko, who nodded before they walked out of the living room.

"Kagome," Inuyasha kept up as he pulled her, gently, back into an embrace to whisper into her ear, "are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," she managed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He inquired as he tilted forward some to try gain eye-contact, he just frowned deeper when he saw the fear written across her face.

"No," she stated swiftly.

"Hey," he whispered softly as he took her chin in his hand and gently tilted her head so she would look at him, "no matter what, you'll be OK, alright?"

"But," she pressed her lips together before looking away. "What if I am... infected and..."

"As if I'd let anyone or _thing_ have your heart," he retorted smugly with a smile. It sounded a bit corny but she smiled nevertheless in return.

"Thanks," she replied.

"Good very, very early morning to all of you," Ohachi boasted as he walked into the living room, discarding his jacket on the first chair he found before he walked over to kneel down before Kagome, Chiyoko and Akiko not far behind him. His eyes wondered all about the girl before a smile laced his lips, "oh, Inuyasha, you always make things far, _far_ more interesting."

"Yeah, it's so great," he grumbled back.

"Let me see your hand," Ohachi requested as he held out one of his. Kagome let her eyes flicker between Inuyasha and Ohachi for a moment before she set her shaky hand into his. He just allowed them to stay like that, palm-to-palm before he stood up and nodded, "as I thought. She's not infected. You said you kill the parasite, Inuyasha?"

"I did."

"Good, good, then the problem is under control." He mused as he walked over to sit down on the seat that housed his jacket, "it must have been the last munashii left," since Inuyasha left out the whole 'time-travel' part in his explanation, it was reasonable to assume that, "and, as you said, Inuyasha, your mortal does emanate a grand amount of a pure aura. You must be a very powerful priestess, hm?"

He didn't say anything else, so Kagome looked over to see that he must actually be waiting for an answer, "I suppose…"

"Yes, well, if I remember correctly, munashii cannot infect pure creatures. If it had tried, which I doubt, it would have failed. Her aura would have killed the infection before it took hold."

"Good, good," Inuyasha sighed, "so she'll be alright?" Another false alarm, he couldn't be more pleased. She wasn't raped, she wasn't infected, she was just obviously drained from the experience.

"She looks like hell washed over," Ohachi shrugged, his statement was not too far from the truth. She was paler than normal and had dark bags under her eyes, "it must have taken some of her energy. She needs to sleep for some time and she will be fine."

"Then, if you guys don't mind, I'm going to take her home so she can rest," Inuyasha announced as he helped her to her feet. "Thanks, everyone."

"Not a problem at all, anata," Chiyoko retorted cheerfully.

"I have to say I'm glad I allowed her to live," Ohachi mused, "things are more interesting now."

"Yeah, great," Inuyasha muttered.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"You feeling better?" He inquired lightly as he sat down on the corner of his spacious bed, his head tilted slightly as his ambers hovered around her.

"Yeah," she weakly mumbled with a smile as she rolled over in the bed, getting even more tangled in his sheets and comforter, "I feel a lot better after that nap."

"Nap?" He laughed, "you've been out for twenty-four hours. It's Friday."

"No," she awed as she shot up, "really?"

"Mm-hm," he nodded, "don't worry, I called your mom and told her that you were here recovering from what happened in the Feudal Era. I didn't give her any details, just that you need to sleep for a while. You've missed an entire week of school, though."

"Well," she sighed, "that was to be expected… I guess. I doubt anyone is surprised, my grandpa covered for me, right?"

He nodded, "he called in for you. You have about a hundred missed calls and messages from all your friends, though."

"I do?" She murmured as he handed her the pink phone that belonged to her, a frown cascade across her lips when she saw how right he was, "I should call everyone back."

"Yep, I'll go down to Magic Wang," the Chinese restaurant he adored so much, "and get us something to eat for dinner, alright?"

"Thank you, Inuyasha," she smiled as he left and she did just as she said she would. She wasn't really thinking about it, but she knew she was forgetting something. Something that was important… like a promise she made to a little fox demon. A promise she broke… and the worry that must have brought a half-demon she still cared oh-so-much about.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Oh my gosh," Michiko awed with a cute pout and hands clasped, "your boyfriend takes care of you when you are sick? That's so precious!"

"Yeah, it's nice of him," Kagome replied with a weak smile. She really didn't want to go out with all of them for lunch but when she told each of them she was fine when she returned their calls she couldn't help but feel bad about making them worry so much that she had to give in.

"I'm shocked," Ayumi admitted, "it sounds like this guy really cares about you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome muttered as she sucked on her straw bitterly.

"Well," Eri mused, "we were just thinking that since he's so much older that… it was all about sex but you guys still haven't done that and he still taking such good care of you... I'm jealous, Kagome."

"Well," she dragged out some as she pressed her lips together and glanced away from the trio.

"Oh my god," Eri squealed, "you did it finally!? And you didn't call us right away and tell us all about it? Tell us all the details, Kagome!"

"Guys," she laughed weakly, "come on… that's private."

"Did you like it at least?" Ayumi taunted, "was it good? Was _he_ good? Did you have an organism? I didn't the first few times. Usually a girl doesn't for a while so if you—"

"Guys," she shrieked, "please, this is embarrassing!"

"No it's not," Michiko giggled, "we're all friends. We've all done it. We're here to help our unskilled friend. Let's face it, Kagome, Shiro is sexy and probably really well versed in the area, huh?" She waited for Kagome to give a meek nod, "then you _need_ us. You need us to help you surprise him in bed; you don't want him having all the power. Believe me; a guy likes it when a girl knows what she's doing and takes the upper hand a few times. You really like him, right, Kagome?"

"I really do," she coaxed as her eyes rested on her soda.

"You don't want to lose him to someone else, do you?" Ayumi inquired.

She just shook her head, "but I won't, Inu—Shrio doesn't want anyone else."

"Mm-hm," Eri nodded, "that's what they all say. You want to make him happy, right?"

Kagome nodded again.

"And he does nice things for you, right? Like taking care of you while you are ill?" Ayumi added.

"He does do a lot for me," a _lot_. Waiting five-hundred years, going all over the place to make sure she is alright after he _saved_ her from a demon.

"Don't you want to repay him?" Michiko asked as she tilted her head enough that Kagome had to look over to her.

"Yeah…" she guessed she did, at least.

"OK, then I know exactly what a guy really loves in return for a favor," Michiko grinned with excitement as she scooted closer to Kagome in the booth, placing her finger on her bottom lip.

"What is it…?" She inquired worriedly.

"Have you ever given him a blow job?"

"Michiko!" Kagome cried as she covered her mouth, "you are so blunt!"

"Kagome," she laughed, "you are so cute and innocent, no wonder every guy has a thing for you."

"I'm kind of surprised she knows what that is," Ayumi whispered to Eri who nodded back. "Well, Kagome, have you?" She waited for Kagome to shake her head, "it's not hard to do, and every guy appreciates it a great deal."

She could just feel her cheeks flush with color as she glanced away, would she do that for Inuyasha? Did she want to…? That didn't sound like fun for her but he had done a lot of for her lately… and, really, this shouldn't have anything to do with it _but_ she couldn't shake the jealousy she felt sizzle in her gut from the way he looked at Chiyoko, the tone he had—if only _briefly_—as he talked to her that night. Or how… bland she felt in comparison to Akiko and Chiyoko. The things they wear _had_ to be the type of thing that he loved to see. She took a breath before she looked up to her friends, they were there to help her after all, right?

"Hey," she began, "um… will you guys," she bit back her pride and spat it quickly, "help me pick out something sexy to wear for Shiro?"

"Kagome," Eri gleamed, "we thought you'd never ask!"

"Let's go right now," Ayumi eagerly requested as she flagged down the waitress.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Inuyasha?" Kagome called out as she walked into his place, with the key he so graciously gave her a while back, she took off her shoes and hung her coat before she stepped out of the entrance to look in the living room—nothing—then the kitchen—nothing, again—and then finally his bedroom—there he was. He was taking a nap it would seem, wasn't that perfect for her then? She gripped the handle of the frilly bag she was carrying more before she headed off to his bathroom to change.

She had to be confident, her friends told her that over and over again. It was a brave feat to dress up for one's boyfriend. It took a great deal of coolness to pull it off so she just kept telling herself 'I can do this' over and over again as she undressed to dawn on the far too expensive—in her opinion—outfit her friends had picked out. Honestly, for her it was really rather embarrassing to go into the lingerie store and try on a few outfits for her friends. She thought that when she was alone she wouldn't feel that pang of humiliation but… she still did. So she took a deep breath as she looked into the mirror at the maroon halter style baby doll that had a pearl looking pin in the front and satin trim, she had a matching thong. She couldn't wear _just_ that so she also bought a black lace kimono wrap. It was a mid-thigh length, see-through, patterned lace with three-quarter sleeves that she tied loosely around her waist. Her friends had assured her over and over again that she looked _sexy_ and that Shiro would drawl all over himself when he saw her. She hoped so, since it was his credit-card she used to buy the outfit… like a high schooler with no job could buy two pieces of lingerie from a high-class shop.

"Kagome?" She jumped when she heard his groggy voice and him roll over on his bed yet no pitter patter of his feet on the ground.

She bit her bottom lip as she walked over to the door and grabbed the knob, rubbing her foot lightly on the back of her other leg. Much to her surprise, after her twenty-four hour nap her bruises had faded into nothing. It had freaked her out some, since when had she been able to heal so quickly? That wasn't normal at all, but Inuyasha had called up his friend Tomoko to inquire about it. Apparently, once one regains all the energy lost from the munashii the wounds that it inflicted in the process disappeared.

Still, she couldn't help but shake the shameful twinge. It was completely normal for someone to do this for their boyfriend, particularly in her era, her friends had all done it for at least one of their boyfriends so why didn't it feel natural or normal to her? Why did it take so long for her to push the worry out of her way and open the door to see Inuyasha sitting on the edge of his bed, facing his bathroom, and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. She couldn't muster up the confidence that she was meant to, instead she just rested against the doorway, her eyes averting his for a while as she bit her bottom lip. It took the stunned silence that set in after her act for her to look over to see an awe-struck man. It was far more apparent than whatever he might have shown to the outfits Akiko or Chiyoko wore so that did boast her confidence some as she smiled.

He swallowed as he tried to find his words but completely failed as she walked over to him and knelt down before him, her hands on his knees. He opened his mouth just to say her name yet couldn't even manage that as she slid her fingers, delicately, up his legs to his belt. He couldn't help but stiffen some at the implication—this _had_ to be a dream. A great dream, at that, he wasn't one for wet-dreams though—as shocking at that may seem—but he was glad for this one. He shivered slightly with delight as she undid his belt and slowly, surely, unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped them before he finally managed to get enough sense to stutter her name.

"Huh?" she mumbled back without taking her eyes off the task at hand—really, should it take such intense will power to go through with the act? Much against her will, her friend Michiko had gotten a banana from a convenient store and started to school her in the process but that only lasted a short while before she shrieked and scurried off—she just couldn't take that!

Right, huh? What was it that he was going to say? He couldn't seem to recall as she pulled his jeans away from his hardened area and let her hand float over it, pausing for a while before she took a breath and willed herself to continue. He looked up to the ceiling and bit his lips together before he took both of her precious hands into his and sighed. Who knew he had such will power himself?

"It's taking every ounce of restraint that I have _not_ to jump you right now," he explained with ample difficulty, he took another deep breath before he pushed her hands away from the area he'd much rather her handle.

"What…?" She murmured as she looked up at him, both her lips and eyes seemed to be pouting at him. That only made it all the more problematic for him to keep with his resolve.

"You are adorable," he admitted as he let go of the breath he was holding.

"I… am?" She questioned with a cocked brow. That wasn't what she was going for at all, not that it was a bad thing but… she wanted to be sexy, like Chiyoko and Akiko were, like Inuyasha so obviously doted over.

"Not right now," he assured with a small shake of his head as his eyes kept glimpsing over her. Gods, sometimes he really hated having a conscious. "You are gorgeous right now, you are…" he couldn't even find a word.

"Then…" she glanced away, her cheeks tainted pink, "wh… what is it?"

"Why are you doing this?" He inquired as he cupped her face, not forcing her to look back at him, though.

"You… don't like… this?" She mumbled with slightly furrowed brows as she meekly looked up to him.

"I really do," he assured earnestly, "but… you…" this simply wasn't at all like her. She was cute, innocent, and essentially pure—regardless if she wasn't a virgin anymore. Honestly, her dressing up for him was the last thing he'd ever expect… it was a nice surprise but suspicious. Perhaps the whole ordeal with the munashii mixed up her head up? Or, more likely, Chiyoko's powers muddled her mind? Forgetfulness and strange behavior after an encounter with her powers were very common.

"Me…?"

"Are you OK?" he inquired with a tilt of his head as he rubbed her cheek lightly with his thumb.

"Huh?" She muttered with another raised brow.

"It's just… this isn't like you and I know if Chiyoko does her thing on people's minds they can act funny for a while afterwords… so do you really want this?" That and he really hadn't expected intimacy after her return. Old feelings for his old self probably were sparked and, knowing her, that would inhibit sex until she sorted them out... or maybe he just won? That she didn't even think about the half-breed he used to be? Gods, he wished.

"Isn't this…" she bit her lips together lightly before she sighed and sagged her shoulders, "what you like?"

"What I like?" He repeated, that wiggled a lopsided smirk out of him, "you are doing this because you want to… make happy or something?"

She shrugged lightly as she looked away.

"Kagome," he sighed, joyfully but before he could get another word out she interrupted him.

"It's the type of stuff Chiyoko would have worn for you, right?" She grumbled with folded arms.

Ah, that made sense and took away his good joy all at once. "Kagome, come here," he requested with a pat on the bed beside him. Reluctantly, she got did just that, pulling her lace kimono wrap closed more and held the wrap tightly shut over her chest, too. "Do you know what Akiko was doing at Chiyoko's?"

She shook her head.

"This might make you feel better," he began as he grabbed her shoulder farthest from him and pulled her in so she could lean her head against his, "remember how I told you for most of the time Chiyoko lived with me Akiko did, too?"

"So?" she grumbled.

"Akiko and Chiyoko are… close friends, and were for that time period, too, apparently they rekindled their feelings for each other. Chiyoko and I were never in love, never will be. I like her a lot, she's a good friend, but she's no you."

It took a little too much time for her to put two and two together and gasp as she pulled away to look at him, awe-struck herself, "but you said you and Chiyoko had sex!"

"We," he coaxed for a bit, "did… but only a few times."

"But then… how come Akiko and Chiyoko…?" She tilted her head, perplexity written across her pretty face.

She was too cute, too innocent, he couldn't help but smile. "Chiyoko doesn't really care, either way's fine."

"So…" Kagome began before she just gave up. That was far too confusing for her to even try and grasp.

"You're doing this because you're jealous?" he inquired with a grin as he pulled her back to him and placed a kiss upon the top of her head.

"Sort of…" she murmured.

"You're cute," he assured as he wrapped his other arm around him. "I like this, I do," he tugged on the lace wrap, "but I like you a lot more. You're sweet and carefree, I like that more than you dressing up for me. Besides, you aren't comfortable with this at all, are you?" She just shook her head, "that's what I thought. I don't care about that stuff. I'm happy with your cotton-bra and underwear with teddy bears and hearts on it."

"Inuyasha," she squealed as she squirmed around in his grasp.

He just chuckled lightly... that was the Kagome he knew and loved.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Where ya' going?" Inuyasha grumbled as he rolled over in his bed to look at Kagome as she grabbed her things. After they sorted out everything and to his dismay—though he didn't show it—they ended up doing nothing but watching a movie Kagome's friends had recommended to her, eating, and sleeping in the same bed together.

"Erm," she fidgeted some, "I remembered that I promised Shippou I'd come back… I'm already a few days late. I should go back today…they must be worried." It killed her to glance over and see the look on his face—blankness. He wasn't mad, he wasn't surprised, he wasn't anything… but she could tell how unpleased he was as he let out a small sigh and looked away as he fiddled his fingers in his bed head hair.

"Inuyasha," she sighed, "I have to… they're my friends."

"Right," he muttered, "whatever."

"I'll stay in the village, OK? And it's day and that means Inuyasha… well, you?" She waited to see if that was the right answer but he didn't bother to look at her, "will still be a half-demon, nothing bad will happen. I'll be back tonight."

"You tellin' them goodbye? Are you going to stay here for good?" He asked with a bit of detachment and, as he thought, he didn't get a reply just the sound of her weight shifting from one foot to another. "That's what I thought," he gripped before turning in his bed to face away from him. "I'm coming to get you tonight if you aren't back and I'll be fucking pissed if I have to go save your sorry ass from another demon."

"Fine, whatever!" She scoffed before stomping out of his place.

Of course, once she got out on the street and began to walk home—she'd prefer the time to think she'd get from walking over taking the bus or subway—she knew why he was such an ass… he wasn't mad at her for leaving, that wasn't what was written in his voice at the end… he was _hurt_ that she was still heading back. She hated that… she hated hurting him but…

She hated more how, as she stood before the well preparing herself to jump in, she hadn't the confidence she possessed before. She hated how she hadn't any idea what to do anymore…

With one deep, cleansing, breath she jumped over the well and down to travel through the blue, slimmery, world she knew so well.

Only time would tell what fate had planned for her.

* * *

**A/N: **Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for all the reviews! I never could picture Kagome as the type to dawn on sexy outfits easily and be confident enough to do something naughty, am I alone there? I just think she's innocent and sex isn't really something she'd think often about, even if she did it.

Anyway, enjoy!


	22. Delay

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-One: Delay**

"I'm back," she whispered to herself as she looked up to see the clear, bright, blue sky that always told her that she was home—wait, no, not home… not home, she sighed to herself, she was in the Feudal Era. That wasn't her home…

"Finally!" She heard an abrupt scoff that made her jump and grab her heart before looking up to see Shippou hop up into view but he wasn't the one that had grunted, it was Inuyasha—good old, half-demon, adorable puppy dog eared, Inuyasha.

"Kagome!" Shippou cried out, "we were worried! We thought that guy wouldn't let you come back!"

That guy? She cocked her head slightly until it dawned on her, "oh, Inuyasha? Well, other Inuyasha…?" She got the strangest feeling saying that with the one she had known longer looking down at her with an annoyed look—the look she knew so well.

"What took ya' so long?" Inuyasha gripped once she had climbed her way out of the well and hoped off to the ground. His eyes wondered over her briefly, she looked different since she wasn't wearing her usual uniform—it was Sunday, there was no need for her to wear that—but instead a pair of jeans, brown boots, a deeper brown sweater she didn't zip up, and a pink shirt underneath it. The fact that she was wearing her hair up in a pony-tail, too, was different.

"It's a long story, I'd rather just tell everyone at once," since Sango, Miroku, and even probably Kaede were going to ask her the exact same thing.

"Are you feeling better?" Inuyasha mumbled, trying his best to sound detached from the topic, as they all headed back to Kaede's hut—Shippou clinging happily to Kagome's shoulder.

"Oh, yeah, I'm great," she assured with her boastful smile. "All the bruises and stuff are gone. I'm completely fine now."

"Really?" Shippou awed.

"Yeah," she nodded, "I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise, Shippou. My mind was kind of boggled by everything so…"

"That's OK, you are here now!" He declared, "and you are going to stay with us for a while too, right?"

She was never happier to hear Kaede call out her name as they walked into view of her hut. That caught little Shippou's attention enough that she didn't need to answer the question that made her breath lodge in her own throat. Though, she didn't notice how Inuyasha _had_ caught the look of dread and how it etched itself in her face. He just pressed his lips together, tightened his folded arms, and glanced away.

She couldn't leave… she just couldn't. They weren't done finding all the jewel shards and Naraku was dead… yeah, that's the only reason he couldn't have her leave. Yet, not even the stubborn half-demon could believe that.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"I thought… there weren't any demons from where you are from," Sango was the first to break the silence after Kagome gave them a highly edited version of the events that transpired while she was away. Of course, she left out all that pertained to possible-rape and all that had to do with her friends and pretty much all she could when it came to the full demon Inuyasha.

"Yeah, so did I," Kagome laughed lightly, "but apparently something happened and their numbers just got cut drastically. Now they have this whole secret democratic society thing, it's really kind of funny."

"Democratic…?" Miroku mused on the foreign word.

"Uh," she dragged out for a while before brushing it off with a wave of her hands, that'd just take far too long to explain, "it's nothing."

"Well," Kaede nodded, "it's good to hear that you are well, Kagome. I had heard of munashii demons but never encountered one myself. I would like to think I would have been able to recognize the bite mark if I had."

"Don't worry, Kaede, everything turned out fine," she assured with a nod of her head.

"So, Lady Kagome, how long are you back for?" Miroku asked the question they were all privately pondering.

Of course she'd be asked that question… and, of course, she hadn't an answer. Should she stay or should she go? Had she ever been so torn over one question in all her existence? In her era there was a man—well, demon—that adored her and a family that doted over her, friends that cared for her… but here she had friends that mattered more, friends that knew her better than even her own family did, and a boy that, while difficult and rough around the edges, still cared about her—even if he'd never say it. A boy that wasn't as confident as he would be in the future, a boy that was a bit awkward, a boy that's wounds he unknowingly wore right on his sleeves. Wounds that she'd only make deeper if she choice to leave… and she couldn't do that, he opened himself up to her like he had never done before, and if she left the Feudal Era for good he'd just think she was abandoning him like everyone else in his life and… wouldn't she? _But_ then she'd be abandoning him in the Modern Era, wouldn't she?

Perhaps… she could somehow sort out a way to just continue to do what she always had? Jump back and forth between them? Help her friends collect jewel shards, help them destroy Naraku, and go to school only occasionally and see her family only once in a blue moon? And then how would Inuyasha take it? He wouldn't let her just linger here when he thought she might die. He wouldn't like that…she'd make her worry constantly and she couldn't do that.

Still, as she sat there next to the other Inuyasha she couldn't help but not want to leave. She couldn't help but shrug her shoulders and break the silence that had begun to float around all of them, "I don't know. I need to go home tonight, though…"

"I see," Miroku replied with a nod.

"Keh, you're never here anymore," Inuyasha grumbled bitterly as he turned his cheek to her and glared out the little window of Kaede's hut.

"I know," she mumbled back as she looked to the floor. She just… didn't _know_ what to do. She didn't know what she wanted to do, she didn't know where she belonged, she didn't… if only she could be like Inuyasha and be at two places at once, wouldn't that be grand?

"Then stop going back there and just stay here already," he suggested with spite laced words.

"It's not that easy," she retorted with her usual feistiness.

"Yes it is!" He bickered as he turned to glare at her—all could see where it was going, another classic fight.

"Anyway," Sango interrupted before that could happen, "with the addition of the shikon shard from that demon we believe we now have almost all the shards that are left—expect for the ones that Naraku has."

"That's great," Kagome chimed; it was nice to know that her friends were still able to do without her while she was away for the month and a half.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

The day had faded away from her and she barely noticed until she saw the hint of pink and orange in the distance. Most of the day she spent talking to Sango and Miroku about this and that, how things were while she was gone, and all that happened. She got them to tell her about each fight and any wounds that were sustained during it—she just couldn't help but worry.

"Lady Kagome," Miroku began with slightly furrowed brows as his eyes wondered to Kaede's hut where Inuyasha, Shippou, and Kaede all lingered—the boys still eating and poor old lady were left to clean up after all of them because she had refused their offers to help over and over again.

"Yes?" She replied with a smile as they began on the walk they decided to take after the meal had finished.

"Inuyasha," he dragged out before he let his eyes linger with Sango's.

"He's been beating himself up about allowing you to be taken like that… it was the night of the new moon and we think he hates himself more because of that. He is already sensitive about that night and now that something like that happened he…" Sango sighed, "you know how he is."

"Even though he won't admit it, we can tell," Miroku assured, "he was frantic trying to find you, he didn't sleep or eat… if you could tell him everything is alright and you do not blame him for that at all it would be for the best."

"We know you don't," Sango added, "of course, but it would help him to hear that."

"Oh," she murmured back with a nod as she diverted her gaze from them, "I didn't think about that." It only made sense that he'd be self-destructive enough to do that. Why couldn't she live in a simple world were everything was cut and dry? Of black and white? Instead, she was always left in the gray. Sometimes free-will was a bitch, sometimes she just wished that there was some higher being or something to make her decisions for her so she wouldn't have to deal with the confusion life brought… she wouldn't have to feel her stomach twisted as she wondered which path she should follow.

At least at that moment she knew one thing she had to do for sure.

"I'll see you guys later, OK?" She said right before she turned on her heels to run back to Kaede's hut just like her friends thought she would. "Hey, Inuyasha?" She began as she popped in just enough to see him and Shippou had somehow managed to get in an argument—why was she not surprised?

"What?" He grunted while he pushed Shippou away, the little fellow tried his best to walk forward even though Inuyasha's hand was securely placed on his head.

"You're a jerk, Inuyasha! Kagome! He's been really mean since you left! Make him 'sit'! He deserves it!"

"Shut up!"

"Gods," Kagome muttered to herself with a sigh, some things she'll never miss, "Inuyasha stop picking on Shippou he's just a little boy. You are such a bully."

"Keh," he scoffed as he pushed Shippou away so he rolled onto his back and stood up, crossing his arms and turning his head way from Kagome, "whatever."

He was so childish… it was really hard at moments like that to think that the man she slept with the night before and the man that stood before her were all the same person. Why did that pang of guilt pulse through her? She hadn't done anything wrong… she wasn't really with the Inuyasha that stood before her and she hadn't done anything but literally sleep with the Inuyasha of the future.

"Do you want to go on a walk with me?"

"Why?"

"Why not?" She grunted back with a hand securely rested upon her hip, "Inuyasha, come."

"Fine," he grumbled and reluctantly followed her out. She didn't say anything at all as they headed through the village to enter the forest, it was only then that she glanced back to catch Inuyasha staring so intently at her, of course, the moment he caught that he turned his head. A small smile crept up her lips as she watched his cheeks redden, he was… cute.

"Don't your feet get cold? The weather isn't going to warm up for another few weeks."

"Huh?" He mumbled like he always did, "my feet?"

"You go barefoot," she stopped once they got into the clearing with the well, to turn around all the way to look at him, her hands held behind her back, "aren't they really cold? Are _you_ cold?"

"What?" He muttered with a cocked brow and folded arms, "should I wear those ridiculous things that guy does?"

She tilted her head slightly before she figured out the only person he could be talking about is… "you buy really weird stuff. You're really rich and somehow became very fashionable."

"He's not me!" she straightened up when she heard that shout, her brows furrowed a bit as she tilted her head. "He's not."

"Alright," she whispered lightly with a nod, "you're right… you two aren't anything alike."

"You like him better?" He murmured as his eyes averted hers to the well, the object that would take her to her world tonight and… he wouldn't know if she'd come back.

She pressed her lips together as she glanced away from him, too. Truthfully… yes. She was in love with him, but… was it _him_ or a mixture between the two? Who knew? She surely didn't, but that didn't mean at all that she didn't care deeply for the man that stood just a few feet in front of her. She took a small breath as she slowly moved forward to gradually swing her hands from behind her back to grasp on one of his. That snapped his yellow stare to her hazels. Honesty was the best policy, wasn't it?

But when the truth would do nothing but hurt someone she cared so deeply about she just couldn't say it. Somehow, while their eyes were locked like they did a spell seemed to cut through the haze that had clouded her mind. Somehow, that very spell led her to close her eyes and do what her heart always used to beckon for yet she wasn't brave enough to carry through… until now.

She pressed her lips to his and it didn't feel wrong, it didn't feel as if she was betraying her boyfriend because—for even but a moment—she just stopped pondering about matters that were out of her hand, she stopped worrying over what she couldn't change, and she just… lived.

It was innocent, too. She put some more pressure before pulling away and prying her eyes open to see that he had never closed his, that they were wide and awe-struck. He could take whatever answer he wanted from that—and, yes, she was aware that it might imply a lie—but since she was not going to vocalize it… then she wasn't lying, right? Well, she'd rather think that. Perhaps she was being a bit deceitful…

He glanced away before he blinked again and opened his mouth to say something. She waited for a while yet never ever left his flustered lips so she smiled again and let go of his hand. "It's getting dark…"

"Yeah," he managed.

"I need to go back," she whispered, finally getting him to look back at her. "I promise to come back soon. I just promised someone else that I'd be back tonight."

"That Shiro guy," he murmured while, once more, his gaze glanced away from her.

"Yep," she sighed slightly, "if I don't come back tonight he'll just come and get me. He worries… he thinks…"

"That I'd let you die here," Inuyasha scoffed as he folded his arms, willing his gaze to turn back to her, "do you think I would?"

"No," she earnestly hushed, "no, I don't." He would never mean to, he would never _let_ her; it would be something that was out of his hand if it ever happened. Something he'd lament over for centuries… "I don't have school tomorrow; it's a holiday so I'll be back then, OK?"

"Holiday?"

"I'll tell you about it when I come back, OK?" She laughed as she walked over to the well and sat down on it so she could shift around.

"Promise," he spat out before she could jump away, "promise… you'll be back tomorrow and keep it this time."

"I promise I'll be back tomorrow," she swore sincerely, "OK?"

"Alright," he muttered with a sigh.

"I'll be back!" She kept up even as she jumped off and fell down to the bottom of the well only to _hit_ the ground and roll over to hit the wall as well. "Ouch," she gripped silently as she leaned over to lie down on the ground and grab her ankle.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha shouted down as he glanced down to the well, "hey! Are you OK!"

"My ankle," she whined. He took no time to jump over the side of the well and land next to her, he picked up in his arm and stood up. "I have a shard, I should be able to get through," she complained as he leaped out of the well yet didn't put her down.

"Do you think it closed up again?" He inquired as he began towards the village.

"I don't know why it would," she winced. "Inuyasha—well, Shiro locked up the well before so I got why that happened."

"Maybe he did it again," he grumbled as he landed in front of Kaede's hut.

"He wouldn't do that," she sassed, "he wants me to come there not stay here."

"Whatever," he grumbled before he walked through the bamboo-straw door, "Kaede, Kagome hurt herself."

"Aye?" The old lady cracked as she stood up and walked around the fire to come examine the girl.

"I didn't hurt myself," she protested as he gently put her down so she could stand on her foot that didn't hurt. "I tried to go back down the well to go home tonight but it didn't let me and I landed funny on my ankle. I think I might have twisted it."

"Aye," she nodded, "it is going to swell up, how about ye sit down and let me examine it closer?"

"Alright," she muttered as she limped over to sit down next to the fire and warm up.

"So are you staying the night, Kagome?" Shippou giddily asked as he jumped into her lap.

"Apparently," she tried her best to smile at the little boy before she laughed to lighten the mood, "if I had known this was going to happen I would have brought my backpack and all my stuff."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

It had been so long since she had to sleep in an old hut that hadn't a door to block out the chilly wind or a soft mattress to lie on and a mass quantity of sheets and a lovely comforter to tangle herself in. It was hard to sleep because of that… well, that and the fact that she couldn't help but stare at the moon all night long and ponder was he looking there too and wonder where she was? Why she hadn't returned? Why she hadn't kept her word? Why he couldn't get through the well? Because she _knew_ that if he could he would have showed up by now…

Was he alright? Of course, of course, she scolded herself for thinking that anything might have happened. It's not like anyone had tried to kill him while she was there. He was fine… it was just the well was on the fritz. What a bother… it shouldn't be so strange to sleep without warm arms around her but it was. It was like the spot beside her was empty—a void that was calling out for someone.

Once dawn broke she gave up on the off and on sleeping she had been doing to slowly and silently—she hoped so, at least—limp towards the well. She rubbed her arms vigorously as she headed through the forest. She knew that once the sun fully came up, by mid-day, it would be alright weather, she'd be fine in the sweater she had.

"Are you going to work again?" She whispered as she leaned over the well. "Will you let me go home?"

'No' she could almost hear a bitter voice beckon up to her as she narrowed her eyes. It would be a bad idea to jump in again when she already hurt her ankle but… that didn't stop her from sitting on the well and turning so her feet hung into the middle of the well. She took one deep breath before she almost pushed off but felt a hand grasp her arm and pull her to stop. Right away, her eyes snapped to see a golden pair staring at her.

"What are you doing?" He scolded, "you wanna break your foot?"

"No," she grumbled with pouted lips as she looked down, "will you take me down, then?"

He huffed out a breath, a clear sign he didn't want to but he still took her into his arms and leaped to the bottom. "Still not workin'," he declared before he jumped out and set her down. "You're stupid, ya' know that?"

She just rolled her eyes at that, she didn't need to get into a fight with him so early in the morning. "It's cold let's just go back."

"You shouldn't go wondering around alone," he kept up, not moving from his spot at all. She glanced to him as she tightened her sweater around her, "something bad could happenin'. Demons are still lurking around here and you don't even have your bow and arrow to protect yourself!"

He worried… far more than he needed to. She couldn't help but press her lips as she stared at him… would he be so antsy if his future self hadn't come and told him that she was going to die here? No, she was fairly certain at least, since before he'd at least allow her to walk freely around the village and to the well alone. "Inuyasha," she sighed, "don't worry about me. I promise… I won't get myself killed or anything."

"Keh," he just folded his arms as he turned away, "how can you say that when you don't even have your weapons to protect you?"

"OK, from now on I'll always have them with me," she assured as she took a step forward only to feel a pang of pain cascade up her leg from the ankle.

He heard her near-silent wince and turned around to see her cringe, he sighed before he knelt down, "get on. You're only going to make that worse."

A smile crossed her lips as she limped over to wrap her arms around his neck and let him lift her up. How long had it been since he carried her like that? It was the classic way he always did, it warmed her up for certain as she leaned her head against him and closed her eyes, "thank you."

"Uh-huh," he muttered back.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Apparently she had fallen asleep on the short journey back because the next time she let her eyes flutter open the sun was openly shining through the window and she could hear hushed gossiping between Shippou and Kaede occurring behind her. Still, she didn't feel like getting up yet so she just snuggled up to the sheets that were wrapped around her and closed her eyes again.

Only for them to snap open as she looked to register what she had seen—the sheets weren't sheets… it was Inuyasha's suikan. Slowly, she sat up, still with the suikan wrapped around her shoulders.

"Good morning!" Shippou chimed as he leaped over into her lap, "did you sleep well?"

"Mmhm," she nodded as she rubbed her eyes free of the grub that came from sleeping. "Where is everyone?"

"Sango and Miroku went on a walk a while ago," Shippou shrugged, "and Inuyasha's somewhere. He's been acting funny since you two went on that walk yesterday, what is it that you adults do on 'walk's that makes you guys act so funny when you come back?"

Oh, the little boy was more perspective than he lets on, how bothersome. "Nothing, nothing, Inuyasha always acts funny."

"That's true," Shippou nodded, "are you hungry? I helped Kaede make breakfast."

"Yeah, sure, I'm hungry," she nodded as her eyes wondered to the door, "where is Inuyasha?"

"On the roof, probably," he replied as he waltzed over to bring Kagome back a bowl of rice.

"Thank you," she listened throughout her meal as Kaede and Shippou spoke of what happened while she was away, it was all the same as Sango and Miroku had told her but she just nodded and listened. "Did Inuyasha eat?" She asked after she had helped Kaede clean up.

"I believe so, he never misses a chance to devour food," Kaede kidded with a smile, "it is good to see you safely returned. Inuyasha was edgy the entire time you were gone and made any excuse he could to return her to check on the well."

Kagome nodded with a weak smile, she knew he must have worried while she was away yet… as time ticked by and she grew closer to the Inuyasha of the future she… stopped thinking about it, stopped worrying about _his_ worries. She held back a sigh as she got up and hobbled out of the hut to look up and see that Shippou was right, he had been lying up there the entire time which meant one thing—he had heard all they were talking about.

"I'd come up there but I can't," she called out.

"You better not, I don't want to have to catch you," he replied. It took some time before he sat up to look at her.

"Will you come down?" She questioned with a tilt of her head, "please?"

"Fine," he murmured before he leaped to her side, "what?"

"Here," she pushed his suikan back to him, "thank you, it was nice of you."

"You just kept clinging to it so I had to take it off," he replied as he tried his best to sound detached as he took it and put it back on.

"Mmhm," she nodded.

"So are we just going to stay here until the well opens up or are we going to go search for shards?" Inuyasha inquired as he tightened his suikan.

"Stay…" she glanced away, "I… just one more day, alright?"

"Fine," he grunted, "just rest today so when we leave then your ankle doesn't get in our way."

"Alright," she shook her head but with a smile since she knew that was his way of showing that he cared.

How long could the well stay sealed up? Why did it? Why'd things only have to add onto her already boggled mind? It just wasn't fair… midway through the day she thought up a reason. A reason that frightened her… what if the well sealed up because… it was just her fate to die in the Feudal Era? That even the well was on fate's cruel side? Of course, she'd never share this theory with anyone else… if she must die—which she'd much rather _not_—then she didn't need to worry the others.

She really didn't have any intention of wondering away from the well, though, so it really better open up for her today or else she'd have to use her ankle as an excuse not to leave, how long would that last? Maybe a week? And every day she prolonged it she'd probably piss Inuyasha off more and more…

"Kohaku!" She jumped when she heard her friend's cry.

"Sango, wait!" Miroku shouted.

"Come on, Shippou," Kagome called as she got up and walked out of the hut to see Sango take off on Kirara and Miroku running after her. "What happened?"

"Kohaku showed up," Inuyasha replied as he leaped off the hut, "it's got to be a trap…"

"Come on," she replied as she shouldered her bow and set of arrows. "We have to help them, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha nodded weakly as he knelt down so she could hop on, "Shippou stay."

"What?" He shouted, "no!"

"Yeah, Shippou, stay," Kagome requested, "it'll be dangerous. I'd hate for anything to happen to you, please stay and protect Kaede in case anything happens here?"

"Fine…" he grumbled, "I'm only staying to protect Kaede."

"We know, thank you, Shippou," she smiled before Inuyasha leaped off.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Long before they saw the horde of demons both the half-demon and priestess could sense their presence. She prepped herself to shot at them the second they came into sight to clear a path for them to find their friends that were sure to be bombarded with problems.

"Do you feel any jewel shards?" He had to ask.

"No," which meant Naraku himself wasn't there.

"You stay near me when we get there, alright?"

"OK," it's not like she wanted to scurry away from him when they were in the midst of a hundred demons, anyway. Right then those very demons came into view so she let loose her arrow, allowing it to ignite in pink wonder before it struck them and cleared a path for them. He quickly set her down so he could unsheathe his sword and start swinging at the demons but all the while making sure that Kagome was close behind him, shooting off arrows in every direction.

"Miroku, Sango!" she shouted out as she reloaded.

"Kagome!" Miroku replied.

"Where are you!" But her question was answered for her when she looked to her left to see the power of his wind tunnel at work. He probably really shouldn't be doing that, she was sure.

Adrenaline flowed through all of them as they kept at the task at hand until there were none left and the crash that always came after that rush came to them. Kagome took the opportunity to sit down and pant until she could recover a steady breath and rub her still aching ankle.

"Kagome, Inuyasha," Sango sighed as she ran up to them, "I'm sorry… I should have known that this was going to happen it's just…"

"Don't worry," Kagome assured her with her warm smile, "we know. Where'd he go?"

"I don't know, I lost him when the demons attacked," she replied with a frown, "but I think he went up into the mountains."

"We could check there, if you would like," Miroku offered as he walked over to sit down next to Kagome, rubbing his cursed hand all the while.

"No," Sango shook her head lightly as her eyes fell upon the monk, "your hand isn't well… we shouldn't."

"We got pretty far away from the village," Inuyasha began as he sheathed his sword, "it'll take a day or so to get back if we go at a normal pace."

"Or…" Kagome dragged out as her eyes lingered on her friend, "we could go up the mountain and see if Kohaku is there."

"Kagome," Sango whispered before she knelt down next to her, "your ankle is still hurt, we shouldn't… it's fine, he's probably gone."

"Please, Sango, let's go," Kagome kept up. Yes, it was probably another trap. Yes, they were probably all going to experience another near-death clash but… she didn't care at that moment. It was what Sango's heart truly wanted, she could tell, and if it was Souta she would do exactly that. "Don't let us hold you back from what you want, Sango," she was sure she had done plenty of that from her absence anyway.

"Inuyasha, what do you think?" Sango asked as she turned her head to look up at her half-demon companion.

"It'll be dangerous," he murmured as his golden gaze glanced over Kagome's ankle a few times, "but… if it's a trap that means Naraku has something to do with it and it might help us get closer to him. We just all have to stick together and _not_ go running off alone," he shot a special glare to Sango on that one.

"Yes, I understand," she nodded.

Then it was settled, they'd head up the mountain after they all had a rest. It seemed as if, Kagome pondered to herself, that fate meant to keep her away from the well… away from her home, from the other Inuyasha, from life.

* * *

**A/N: _Suikan_**: robe of the Fire Rat that Inuyasha wears. Let me just point out that I'm not great at writing fighting scenes and action stuff and I don't enjoy it, hence why they are bad.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter nevertheless, thank you for the reviews and reading.

**To Reviewer Mina**: To answer your question (how are you going to get past inuyasha to wait 500 years for kagome when he hasent experienced all that he was supposed to and fallen in love with her?): It was answered at the A/N on Chapter 20. By Future-Inu interfering in the past/future he has created an alternative future to occur. So the past him and the present him really aren't the same person any longer. The future that the past-Inu will have and the present Kagome is going to be different because future-Inu interfered.


	23. Treachery

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-Two: Treachery**

"Kagome, hurry up," Inuyasha requested a bit harshly while he slowed down to look back at her. The day before they had all agreed that it was in their best interest—well, Sango's—to head up the rocky mountain in search for Kohaku. Perhaps it would lead them to Naraku, perhaps it would lead Sango to_ finally_ finding her most precious little brother, or perhaps it would get them all killed, who knew? By night they got more than halfway up the mountain only to run into another set of demons attacked them. All got away without more than a few cuts and bruises and Kohaku was once again gone, they could only assume to return to wherever Naraku's lair was. After that they all decided to give up and go back to Kaede's to regroup and decide their next plan of action.

"It's freezing! Why did we have to go up in the mountains…?" she whined while she hopped about trying to warm herself, just like her hands tried to bring heart back to her arms. Yes, yes, she knew it took her pushing the subject for them to actually head up the mountain to see if they could find Kohaku and, yes, it seemed like a good idea at the time until she realized the farther up they went the colder it got. "Why did they have to get lost in this type of climate? It's going to snow I just know it!"

"Keh," he scoffed before flicking off his suikan to drop on her head. Midway through the day 'somehow' Sango and Miroku had separated themselves from them which really pissed him off since that meant they had to linger up there longer and look for them and _he_ was the one that had to endure Kagome's constant complaints. "Here, that's why you shouldn't wear that outfit, idiot."

"I had a very reasonable outfit on earlier!" Kagome countered as she willingly took his suikan and wrapped it around her arms. Her snug, warm, sweater had been a causality in their fight with demon last night, much to her dismay.

"Whatever," he grunted.

"Do you think that Sango and Miroku are alright? You don't think that a demon—"

"Don't worry about them," Inuyasha ordered as white flakes began to fall from the clouded sky.

"Why not?" She complained as she tried to speed up so she would be by his side instead of behind him but her ankle only hurt more from all that had happened so she pressed her lips and kept with her slower steps.

"They do this a lot lately," he murmured.

"Do what…?"

"Wonder off like this, together."

"Why?"

That got Inuyasha to stop and turn to look at her with a cocked brow, "really?"

"Really," she replied wearily, why was he looking at her like she was stupid? What was it that _he_ got that she didn't?

"There's a hut, I don't smell anyone maybe we can stay there until the snow stops," Inuyasha nodded in the distance. She didn't see anything but she shrugged and followed him nevertheless until a brown spot appeared a ways up the hill.

"It doesn't look like there is anyone here," Kagome declared as she walked around the small one-roomed place, "it doesn't look like anyone's been here in a really long time."

"Good, stay here, I'll go get firewood."

"OK," she was more than willing sit down where the fire would be and huddle in his suikan… "wait, Inuyasha!" She shouted as she hopped to the door, he was there far quicker than she had thought so she jerked back and almost fell but he caught her wrist and pulled her to her feet before she ever hit the ground.

"Klutz," he muttered with a shake of his head, "what?"

"Here, take this with you, it's too cold for you to wonder around looking for firewood without it," she requested as she pushed his suikan into his chest.

"You'll be fine here without it?"

She nodded with a smile, "I'll be fine."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

The blaze of the fire kept them warm as the white whizzed about outside, the door was securely shut the best the sliding old thing could and Inuyasha had covered the one window so the frigid wind couldn't burst the heat that had been built up. The night had set in which only made it colder and even though she tried her best not to show it as she scooted closer to the fire his golden gaze still caught her small shivers as she closed her eyes and rested her chin upon her raised and huddled knees.

Did he have much of a choice? He didn't think so, so he got up and dropped his suikan once again on her head so she could use it as a blanket—since the abandoned place hadn't any lying around.

When she opened her eyes and let the suikan slide down to her shoulders she saw Inuyasha walking back over to the corner he had been sitting in the entire time. Her eyes wondered to the red fabric that always kept her tepid… was this alright? How was it that the short amount of time she had spent with Inuyasha had been able to spark such… intense feelings?

"Hey," Inuyasha muttered after some time, catching her weak attention, "I have a question…"

"Alright."

"What…" his eyes flickered to her for only a moment before she looked to the side, "what's up between you and that Shiro guy?"

"What are you talking about?" She averted as she, too, looked away from him.

"When… we found you… you leaped into his arms almost right away."

She could just be problematic, she could pretend she didn't know anything, she could ask 'what's it matter to you?' and she was sure that he'd stumble over some words, scoff something, and grunt out something rude then that would be that but… she sighed, "did I?"

"Yes," he kept up.

"What's it matter?" She mumbled anyway as her eyes migrated to him, "you two are the same—"

"So you really think he's me? What five hundred years later?" He snapped.

"I really do," she whispered.

"I don't care if that's true or not we're not the same person," he asserted swiftly as his gaze locked with the blaze of the fire.

Of course… of course they weren't. She knew that, she knew that the one that was waiting on the other side of the well for her was far more mature, handsome, and well adjusted while the boy that sat a few feet from here was immature, cute more so than anything else, and still shattered, still fragile… but, so was the other. He didn't act like it but she could still tell that there was a pain in him from all he had to endure, a pain she wanted to stop…

"You never answered me, anyhow," he gripped, "would you rather be there with that Shiro guy or here?"

"With you?" She added what was missing, his eyes snapped up to her then. "Honestly?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"Frankly, I don't know."

A hush fell over them then, nothing but the howling of the wind as it swirled the snow around and smacked against the old wood that constructed the hut. His eyes fluttered constantly between the walls, fire, and her—always lingering there the longest. Once they caught each others wondering glances but looked away until it happened again.

"Hey, do you think… that fate is something that's preordained or something? That can't be changed no matter how hard you try? Or do you think it's something that you make… something that you can decide for yourself?" It was the one thought that tugged at her mind the most, the one thing she'd like to know the most, so why not ask? How could it hurt?

"What are you talking about?" He retorted.

"Like… fate, you know, destiny. Do you think that everything is already planned out by the gods or some supernatural being? Do you think that everything's already written? Like who we meet throughout life, who becomes our friends and who becomes our enemies, who we fall in love with?" Her eyes couldn't help but wonder from the fire to him then, "and which of those romances work out and which bring us heartache? Or do you think there's no such thing as fate and everything just happens without any rhyme or reason?"

For a while he just sat there in his usual stance, his arms crossed and legs folded, his eyes intently locked on her. "You are talking about that stuff Shiro told you about? About you dying?"

"I guess, sort of," she sighed, "but I'm mostly talking about in general. Do you think we can change fate or not?"

"I think…" he began weakly before he sighed, "I think you think too much 'cause in the end I don't think matters, Kagome. Either there is or isn't but it doesn't do you any good to think that much about it."

She pressed her lips together in a smile as she nodded, sometimes even the immature Inuyasha could be intelligent in his own way. "Inuyasha," she seemed to almost glow once she caught his golden gaze on her, "come over here, you'll catch a cold if you don't warm up." He wouldn't catch a cold but… he'd be more comfortable closer to the flames, he knew it, so he got up and walked over to sit beside her anyway. Promptly she gave him back his top, "you look cold."

"You need it more than me, you're just a human," he growled before pushing it back. A fight followed, it was like playing 'keep-away' but eventually she won with a threat of 'S-I-T' and he put it back on. "Now you're cold, 'cause of that ridiculous outfit of yours."

"How was I supposed to know we were going to go up into the freezing mountain only to have a blizzard break out?" She countered before scooting closer to him, her hazels once more upon the flames. If she had known that she would have brought a winter jacket with her... The longer they sat there the more she let her worries fade, her boggled mind settle with the present instead of worrying about the future or past or whatever it was that did or didn't seal her fate, "you could… hold me… to keep me warm."

It was a nearly hushed request and he hesitated to oblige but… he wanted to, it was the perfect excuse, so he closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her. A moment passed before they relaxed into each other, another until he held her tighter. Was it right or wrong? She couldn't tell, he _was_ Inuyasha and Inuyasha _was_ her boyfriend… was it cheating still? Even though they were the same person? Or was it OK if she was in the past with this Inuyasha and just as alright when she was in the future with that Inuyasha?

Why did everything have to be so complex?

It wasn't until nothing but the beating of the blizzard that she looked up to him, her smile had faded. Did she want him to let her—no; when she leaned up to allow their lips to meet he knew she wanted him to pull her closer, so close that they almost meshed together. She didn't really mean to kiss him, she just turned off her mind—her judgment—and let her feelings take over. Hunger drove him to prying open her mouth so that his tongue could invade hers, lick it, twist with it, and outline the roof of her mouth. Even though their kiss had progressed far past gentleness he took tender care in removing his suikan from her shoulders and let it fall upon the wooden floor to lie her down upon it.

Flawless, she was simply flawless after their initial tangle of tongue, smothering lips, hot breath, loud beating chambers, and stumbling, worried, nervous fingers fiddling with the others clothes for them both to end up bare. Her eyes were unrelenting, unashamed, but only halfway opened as she looked away so he could let his greedy gaze etch each of her curves and every bit of her bare, perfect, pale skin into his memory.

"Kagome," he whispered before leaning in to kiss her ear, "Kagome."

"Inuyasha," she breathlessly gasped when she felt a no-longer-foreign and still highly welcomed sensation purge her body from its former frozen form. Was she whorish as she arched towards him while he moved his clawed finger about? But he was the same person that had first done this to her yet… it was so different as she dug her nails into his back when he added another unskilled digit—he wasn't as well versed in the carnal act as he was the last time they tangoed. Still, he could figure out enough as they carried on so that he could figure out her most sensitive spot that his thumb played along with as he quickened his thrusts.

His kisses trailed down her neck until they reached her valley. That was when he choice his side to assault, first softly, with just a series of kisses until his textured tongue met her hardened nub. Her breath quickened as he nibbled there.

"Inu… yasha!"

That was it, to hear her cry his name—or was it for the other him? Either way, it gave him such pleasure, such a new sensual, fabulous sensation…

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"There you guys are!" Kagome cried out as she scurried through the snow—thank gods she was wearing boots at least—and hugged her dear friend. "We were so worried!"

"The storm caught us by surprise, we are sorry for making you worry, Lady Kagome," Miroku apologized, "you two made it through the blizzard fine I see."

"Yes, we are sorry," Sango kept up with a sweet smile as she pulled away from Kagome's embrace, "shall we head back down the mountain and return to Kaede's?"

"Yep, let's do that, Shippou's probably really worried about all of us," she chimed before they did just that.

"Kagome," Inuyasha grasped her wrist before they got too far—Sango and Miroku were ahead of them and either didn't noticed or pretend like they didn't.

"Huh?" she replied as she stopped to look at him.

"Let me…" he glanced away before managing to continue, "carry you. You're ankle still hurts, right?"

"You didn't want to carry me yesterday," was what she was ever so tempted to say but she bit her lips instead. One night of intimacy would spark him to act a little different, wouldn't it? Her ankle did hurt so… why not?

The entire trek down she just kept her gaze loosely locked onto her friends ahead of them. They didn't appear different; they still walked side-by-side with the usual distance between them. Their hands were not interlaced, they didn't talk more, but they _were_ smiling more… what did they do on their 'mistaken' separate trips away? It wasn't really any of her business but she couldn't help but be nosy. Inuyasha had told her last night that he didn't know what they did together but they always reeked of each other when they returned… somehow she doubted they actually had sex. In the Feudal Era it would always have to be unprotected which would mean Sango could get pregnant and while that'd make a merry Miroku he highly doubt it'd be what Sango wanted. That would mean she'd have to give up on the fight against Naraku and finding her brother… and she would never do that. In the end the two would end up together she was sure… well, then again, Inuyasha—Shiro—had never mentioned what became of them…

Nope, she closed her eyes as she rested her head against Inuyasha's shoulder once they started on even land. She wasn't going to worry about the future, she made herself promise that. Inuyasha was right if things were written and destined to be they were going to happen—whether she thought a great deal about them or not—and if things were up in the air she should just do what she always did, what her heart and soul told her was the right choice, and everything would be fine.

"Inuyasha," she whispered once the shelter of the woods covered them.

"Huh?" He replied, he had been acting so different throughout the day… he was _calm_ and quiet but not out of angst or anger—like usual—but out of peace. He was happy, whether he admitted it or not and she was too, whether that was wrong or not.

"How much longer do you think it'll take until Naraku's dead finally?"

"I donno," he muttered back.

"I wish it was over with already," then Miroku would be fine and him and Sango could get started on that family she knew they both wanted to replace the ones they lost.

"You wanna go home?"

"I didn't say that," she sighed, "I just want it to be over. Over and everyone _OK_."

"Yeah," he whispered, "me too."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"It's been forever since I've been in a hot spring," Kagome giddily awed as she sank deeper into the steaming water, "I missed it so much."

"Inuyasha says in your world you have a mini-hot spring in a strange container so you can bath in one whenever you want," Sango said.

"That's true but it's a bath and different… there's something about a hot spring that makes all my worries wither away," she took another deep breath as she rested her head on the bank. The heat also helped loosen up her twisted ankle. If only she was in her world she would be able to take a pain killer.

"Kagome…" Sango started wearily as she scooted over closer to her friend, "I'm just curious… you don't have to answer but… the other Inuyasha," it was clear from the implication of her tone that she was still struggling over that concept, "and you seem… close. The way you leaped into his arms that day and out of Inuyasha's…"

"I don't remember that," she countered quickly, "all that's a fog…"

"OK," Sango dragged out. If Kagome didn't want to talk about it then she wouldn't pry.

"What do you and Miroku do when you go off together?" Kagome inquired with a tilt of her head, she couldn't help but smile when she saw how pink her cheeks got and how flustered she became. "Don't worry if you don't have to answer," she giggled.

"Mi… Miroku and I don't do anything," Sango stuttered, "we don't… we just spend time together… alone. It's nice."

"I didn't think you did."

"Do…" her eyes wondered back to her friend, "you and Inuyasha do… anything? Either Inuyasha… I think Miroku wants to do more than just spend time together…"

"Don't worry, Sango. Miroku loves you. I bet he really doesn't care, as long as he can be with you."

She smiled with a nod, "thank you, Kagome. I know even if he doesn't act like it Inuyasha—our Inuyasha—loves you."

A smile raised her lips but weakly, before that would have lifted her heart now it brought her a weight she'd rather not have to endure. She knew Inuyasha loved her but… so do the other. And she loved him, too, but… both of them.

"Sango," Kagome sighed as her eyes wondered up to the clear star covered sky, "I have a problem…"

"What is it?"

She pressed her lips together for a bit before she just spat it out, "I love Inuyasha but… but I love them both. I love the one I know that's waiting for me in my era and I love the Inuyasha here. Is that wrong? Does that make me fickle?"

Sango's eyes moved all along Kagome's furrowed face, "I don't know, Kagome, I can't imagine what that would be like… he's a lot different, isn't he? The one that waited that long for you… and you are sure he's Inuyasha?"

"Positive," she grumbled, "they are really different… Shiro," she imagined it was easier for her friend if she said that, "really loves me. He was hurting for so long until I met him… he didn't remember a whole lot about me but he's been recovering his memory steadily… and he's charming and mature and handsome but really popular with woman so… I'm always jealous of his past girlfriends coming around. They are _gorgeous_ woman and he always tells me not to worry because he loves me the most and has been waiting for me and they keep turning into lesbians or something," she shrugged before biting her bottom lip and looking from the sky to the steam before her, "then… Inuyasha, well, he's Inuyasha, you know? He's difficult, immature, stubborn, rude, overly protective, but cute still... and I used to be so sure that I loved him and wanted to be here with him… now I don't know, but that doesn't mean I love him any less. It's just… I mean, they _are_ the same person but… not."

Sango just nodded along, she wasn't so sure about the term 'girlfriend' or what a 'lesbian' is but she felt she got the essential parts of it, "I'm sorry, Kagome, that sounds difficult… I don't know what I could say. I mean, I am partial to you choosing Inuyasha, of course… but I don't know what's best for you. You like your world, don't you? You'd miss your family if you choice to stay here with Inuyasha when everything is done… but if you were with the other Inuyasha you wouldn't have to do that."

"But then I'd miss all of you," Kagome frowned, "if I did that… I'd miss all of you while I was gone. I was worried."

"It's just not easy being you, huh?" Sango tired her best to laugh it off.

"Yeah," she sighed, "but it's not easy being you, either, huh?"

"No," Sango groaned, "I wish that life was easier sometimes, don't you?"

"Oh, gods, yes."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"You wanan try again, huh?" Inuyasha inquired as he folded his arms and rested against the well. He had thought that since they got to the village just as night took the sky that she would have wanted to just go to sleep instead of bothering to check on the well but he was wrong... Four days in a row of having her around should feel like only a short time in comparison how long she usually stayed but it did, and he appreciated it. He didn't want her to go. He wanted the well to still be sealed and them to head on with their journey _together_. "What if it's still not working? Can we leave tomorrow?"

"To go search for jewel shards?" Kagome meekly asked as she looked up from the dark bottom of the well to Inuyasha, "OK. If the well doesn't work this time we'll leave tomorrow." That would be what fate wanted, right? That would be what it was telling her, right? Hopefully, that wasn't the same as 'go die already'.

"Here," he picked her up without much of a warning, "I'll take you down, then."

She didn't even get a chance to reply before he jumped down. To his dismay and her delight they wooshed through the blue, flowing, starry portal before they landed on the other side. Both of them looked up to see the roof instead of the opened sky. She could hear him let out the breath he was holding before he leaped out and set her down.

"Well… it worked," she shrugged as she looked away.

"Yeah…" he gripped, "so now what?"

"You go back," she whispered as she bit her bottom lip, "and I'll come back later."

"Yeah, whatever," he grunted before he stepped onto the well, "bye."

"Wait, Inuyasha!" She grabbed his suikan to keep him from jumping. "I… I promise to come back. Just give me two days and I promise I'll be back! With my bag and supplies and everything and we will go look for shikon shards again, OK?"

His shoulders sagged slightly before he sighed and turned around to look at her, "alright, fine."

"I promise, I'll be back in two days."

"What if that guy keeps you from coming? Like he seals up the well again?"

"He won't," she murmured, "if I'm not back in two days come and get me, OK?"

"I will," he scoffed as if it was ridiculous for her to even suggest he wouldn't do so otherwise. "See ya' in two days."

"I'll see you in two days," she smiled as her hand slipped from his kimono and he faded away...

She let him go.


	24. Tumult

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-Three: Tumult**

"Kagome," her mother beckoned with a rather weak attempt at a smile while she watched her daughter scrub her damp dark strands of hair while she walked around the upstairs.

"Hey, mom," she replied with her usual smile, "what's up?"

"Shiro… Inuyasha," she sighed, that was right, wasn't it? "He was here almost the entire time you were gone—"

"Mom, I already told you, the well was really on the fritz. I didn't mean to stay away that long, it just started to work tonight so I could come home."

"Yes, yes, I know, I believe you," though, her tone implied otherwise, "I just… think it would be nice of you to call him. It's sad, really, he hadn't left the entire time until just a few minutes before you came so he could go clean up and change clothes."

"He must have been really worried, huh?" She murmured as her gaze glided to the floor and her towel fell to her shoulders, "I should call him…"

"Yes, you should," her mother took a few steps towards her to place her hand upon her shoulder and kiss her on the head, "I know you'll make the right choice, whatever that may be."

It killed her but she managed to smile for her mother, though her eyes betrayed her and she knew it as her mother gave her that weak smile of hers that she had grown so accustomed to since the well first opened before she turned and walked down the stairs… what's the right choice? Why was her mother so sure that she'd know what that happened to be? If only she had that same faith within herself…

Still, she picked up the little pink device that was full once again of unread texts and unheard messages. Maybe a cell wasn't a good idea for someone who disappeared all the time… she knelt on her bed as she held it in both her hands and migrated to the number she frequented most 'Shiro's… she had never changed the name, though she no longer really knew him as that. Her lids fell some as she pulled the phone to her chest, she could hear the cling of the charm he had bought her brush against the phone… She pressed her lips ever so tight as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in through her nose. She didn't know how bad she felt about what happened until… that moment, that moment when she couldn't keep the twin tears from slipping down the side of her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to herself as if… somehow, that would make it alright… as if she'd find atonement in the absent air around her.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

She just couldn't, it just wouldn't be right… she couldn't have called him. Really, she wanted to, she yearned to, she kept telling herself to the entire time but… no, that wouldn't be right—_right_? It's not fair, why couldn't she have the same problems as all her friends? All their constant bickering about their boyfriends or other _normal_ things seemed so great in comparison. She'd rather be dating Hojo and dealing with his apparent performance issues or dealing with Michiko's problems of a boyfriend that kept asking for them to react his favorite porn or how Eri didn't know how to break up with that college guy she just simply lost interest in? Any of that would have been easier than dealing with the perplexity of whether or not it was cheating or if she was a bit of a whore—but how could she be? They were the _same_ freakin' person! Yet… not.

If only the well had never opened up her mind wouldn't be so boggled!

No, she stopped walking all together and opened her eyes finally—she arrived. No, she didn't mean that. If the well hadn't opened up she would never know what adventure really was. If the well hadn't opened up she would never have met Inuyasha. If she never met Inuyasha then she wouldn't be where she was at that very moment—and, really, she wouldn't rather be anywhere else in the whole wide world. She took in a deep gush of air as she put the key in the hole, unlocked the door, and opened it up.

Calling would have been the easy way out and she didn't deserve that. She had to face him, she had to will herself to look into his handsome amber eyes and confess… then maybe she'd be free from the god-awful guilt that grabbed at her gut.

"Hello?" She whispered as she removed her snickers and closed the door—very gently. It was stupid; even if she was as silent as a sneaking spider he would have heard her and she knew that. She just wanted to prolong the unavoidable pain she was going to bring to the man she loved—one of two men she loved?

"Kagome?" It shot an arrow straight through her heart to hear how his voice picked up to send her name flying into the city lit sky.

"Yep," she tried her best not to sigh but it still came out. She could tell he was in the living room from the gleam of light so she slowly walked over to the door to see him step away from the window and set his half empty glass down upon the cabinet before opening his arms slightly for her.

Her smile lifted her lips the best it could as she walked into it and placed her head upon his chest so she wouldn't have to look up at him… not yet.

"I was so worried," he sighed as he tightened his grip on her and rested his cheek upon her head, "are you OK? What happened? I tried to come and get you but the well wasn't working…"

"I don't know why that happened," she shrugged as she grasped the back of his shirt tighter, "I tried to get through but it wouldn't let me until tonight."

"That's alright, you're here now."

Right… here with awful news, and the longer the hush lingered the more she could feel that he was slowly figuring that out. His first guess at what was the matter was wrong, "you want to go back?"

Yet right at the very same time, "mmhm."

"When…? _Why_? Why the hell do you want to do something so stupid?" He scolded as he pried her away so his hands were firmly holding her upper arm. It took some time but she finally let her eyes lift up from his shirt to his amber beauties.

"Why is it stupid that I want to help my friends? That I want to finish what I started? What I created, have you forgotten _I'm_ the one that shattered the shikon jewel?" All of her words came out far weaker than she had intended, she meant for them to be stern yet…

"You _will_ die, do you want that? Do you _have_ a death wish?" He questioned with furrowed brows, but she could tell with ease they weren't out of anger but… she had already hurt him, without even telling him the worst of what had occurred. She bit her bottom lip lightly as her own brows contracted.

"Of course not…"

"Stop going there, _please_? They'll understand! They have to! If you stay here you will—"

"I could die at any moment, just like there, what if… what if I'm just meant to die young? Then at least my death could mean something if I was there. If I was here maybe I'd just get hit by a bus or something," she didn't think about saying any of that, it just came out, and seemed so true.

She was meant to die young… she could feel it in her soul. Perhaps it was a curse that it had to endure every life?

"I…" he shook his head as he closed his eyes and pulled her back so they fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle. "Then… stay here, for me."

At that moment, she feared she would speak from wherever it is whenever she never thought—her soul? Her heart?—and say 'yes, yes of course!' but she couldn't so she took another deep breath to smell the same woody scent he always had. She closed her eyes ever so tight before she decided she couldn't keep it in any longer but she couldn't look him in the eyes as she said it either. Say it… say it… say it…

"I did something I shouldn't have with the other Inuyasha, I'm sorry!" She spat out so quickly her words jumbled together—did she mean them? Should she really 'not have' done it? Was she even truly sorry?

He froze up just like that; it was as if all his mussels turned to stone in that instant. After a solid minute of nothing she finally allowed her eyes to flicker open but she couldn't look up at him as he pushed her stiffly away.

It took more effort than it should for him to retract his trembling hands and clenched his fists. He just kept breathing as he closed his eyes, "_what_ did you do?"

Acid would have been sweeter to her ears at that moment, but she deserved it… she had to look at him, so she finally did. He was as rigid as a cliff and—she guessed—was trying his utmost not to break something out of his furry. "We didn't have sex…" she knew better than that, she knew that they had to stop before they got to that point. Not for the reason he would have hoped, though, not because she couldn't bear to betray him—was it betrayal?—anymore but she wasn't ready for the chance to be a mother at all and Inuyasha wasn't ready for the prospect of fatherhood. He didn't mind that they didn't go any further; he just wrapped them up in his suikan and held her throughout the cold night…

It seemed so right then yet… so very wrong now that she stood in front of the future.

"What'd you let him do to you?" His rough, rude, words rang through her like a spreading sickness as he grabbed her wrists and knocked her feet out from under her so she'd collide against the couch with a thud. Her legs dangled over the arm of it as her frozen stiff somber strands spewed out, framing her complexion to make her appear even paler than she was at that moment. Now his brows were furrowed from anger, from deep seeded hatred as he placed a kneel between her legs, on the arm of the chair, and leaned forward so his hand was placed right above her head, his other grabbed one of her ebony waves into his, twirling it around his fingers in one swift motion.

He wouldn't hurt her… right?

"Inu… Inuyasha—"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it! Just tell me what you two did!" Was it cheating? What the _fuck_ was it?! He was him _and_ he was him… they were the same but he wasn't him at the very same time! He was five hundred years older, five hundred years of misery mixed with joy here and there, five hundred years more skilled in almost every area, five hundred years of change… What the fuck was it…? Was it cheating? He gripped her hair to crush it in his hand. So… they were the same person, so she was just with him just a younger version—what the fuck did that make it? But it wasn't him-him, still, it was another man, a man that he once was… so it was wrong… sort of?

Her eyes avoided the molten liquid gold that seemed to drip down to her very core to glance at the back of the ruby couch, "I… we… he…"

"I, we, he?" he mocked bitterly, as he jerked his hand away from her hair—even though he did not pull it she flinched. He grasped her chin and pulled at it so she would turn his face up to his, "what? Kagome, huh? Did you give him a blow job or something? Like you so eagerly wanted to do with me just a few days ago!"

"You're being an ass!" She protested as she tried to push him away yet it was no use, "get up!"

"What if I was fucking another woman while you were away!? You want me to go to Chi! Huh? I could! She'd be more than happy to fulfill my needs! Hell! Akiko _and_ Chi would welcome me into bed!"

"That's different!" She shrieked as she smacked his chest and closed her eyes once more, "that'd be with another woman! He's you!"

"No he's fucking not!" He shouted right back as he grabbed her wrists into his free hand and slammed them down above her head, "open your eyes! Look at me, goddamn it! Do I look like him!? Do you think of _him_ when we are together!?"

"Stop it!" She cried as she turned her head to the side, "I don't! Just stop!"

"Tell me what you did!" It was only then that his grasp upon her wrists tightened.

"We were looking for Sango and Miroku! They were lost and we got stuck in a snow storm and there was this cabin and things just got out of hand! I'm sorry!"

His grip lightened, his body froze once more as all emotion faded from his face. If it weren't for the fact that he had stopped breathing, too, she wouldn't have opened her eyes to see him staring blankly down at her. "A… Are you OK?"

The… cabin, the snow storm, the… first time they were intimate. It _happened_? Was that why the well sealed up? Because fate was determined that they play out their parts? That they do all that he remembered? That… that she die? Was fate to blame for her treachery—was it even that? Should he not feel such passionate fury at the pretty girl that now stared up at him with such compassion? Should he just let destiny take the bullet for her? He swallowed as he blinked and took a breath.

The memory that once gave him some solace—the howling wind, the crappy cabin, the warmth of the fire, the sound of her crying _his_ name—only felt like a slap in his face now. Fuck that, fuck logic, fuck fate, fuck it all. He couldn't stand the thought of anyone else touching her like he did—not even his younger self, was that crazy? Was that wrong?

What the fuck did it matter anymore?

He moved is hand that propped him up to grab her wrists and keep them locked above her head as he moved his hand down her neck, to her V-necked sweater, following the vertical pattern down to her jeans.

She fidgeted but his hands would let go, her eyes followed his playful fingers. He wasn't… was he? "Inu—?"

"Don't call me that," ha, he'd almost laugh at that if it didn't sting so. It used to kill him that she wouldn't call him by his name and now… now if she said it, which Inuyasha was she thinking about? Not him... never him. It would always be the others' name to her first.

"Wai—"

"Shut up!" He beckoned as he undid her pants and slid his hand down under her simple pink panties. What was he doing? Should he stop? Should he… whatever. He jerked into her and she jolted up some and bit her lips together as she closed her eyes. He was more skilled, he knew it, he'd bring her more pleasure than she thought possible. He'd bring her _far_ more bliss than his past self was capable of—was he virgin when he met Kagome? He was two hundred, he _had_ to have had sex before her, it would have been utterly pathetic if he hadn't...

His digits knew exactly the speed to move at, where the sweet spots were, how to play with her gem while dancing around within her. If she wanted him to stop she didn't say anything but her body spoke volumes to him—it had to be without thinking, but her hips started to jerk around with his movements, she wanted more? More pleasure? Did she want that release? Did _he_ ever give her a release?

Not like he was going to, he knew it, it would have brought a smirk to his lips if it wasn't tearing at his heart at the very same time. He leaned down and licked her pressed lips; she was trying not to make a peep, hm? He didn't like that, not at all. He didn't want her to talk but he didn't want her to be so quiet, either. So he placed his lips upon hers and began to work on them just as he worked her below. A tug here, a suck there, his tongue trailed everywhere. Then he slowed below and she faltered, she protested with a bit of a whimper and that gave him just enough of an opening to pry her lips open fully and thrust his tongue in to tangle with hers.

Her lips would be swollen the next day from the way he assaulted them, with his nibbles and tugs, all the while heightening her pleasure with another addition. She arched towards him and his pulsing need but he pulled away still, so that only her wrists, lips, and nether region knew his warmth. Everywhere else could be left out in the cold.

She mumbled, moaned, and murmured into their kiss. Her body shivered from the sensations he provided her yet form all he refused to give her, too. There was a considerable lack of affection in his actions, even though he kissed her as if they wouldn't have another chance—wait, they would, wouldn't they?—he still did it was a vendetta. He only allowed her air when absolutely necessary and only ever a small break—to move to assault her ears or neck—before he brought his attention back to her lips all the while her hips moved along with his every motion. A building _yearning_ was threatening to capsize her. It was maddening—so close yet so far. He could take her to it at any moment and he reminded her that by hitting one spot that made her head spin instead of the other that made the twisted tension build more and little else.

It was torture.

Then his warmth left her—all at once, too. He pulled his lips away from her pulling and searching tongue. He ripped those delightful devil workers from her and panted for air himself.

Was he not going to give her anything? Was he just teasing her? She didn't mean for such an irked groan to leave her lips but it just did. Was this wrong? Gods, even she wanted to say 'fuck it' and… she did. His dripping digits moved up to her lips, her own taste was bitter. His clean hand removed the cloth that contracted him, then his next effort to yank her jeans off took both of his hands. Her panties were discarded with a swift yank to break the fabric and throw it to the side.

Then he was in, quicker than she knew possible and working at the tension that hadn't let up even a bit. It wasn't intentional but she wrapped her legs around his to pull him closer, he plunged deeper all the same. But she wasn't allowed to scream out like she wanted to—perhaps that would let the tension fade just a fraction, just to make it bearable—because his lips were against hers.

It was too much, too much and she loved it. The feeling of him hitting her right where he knew she wanted over and over again, his mouth suffocating her with the sensation of his tongue. It was edging her closer to falling over the top and he was allowing it this time, encouraging it with each and every thrust deeper and deeper until she was sure he couldn't go any farther.

Then it was bliss, a blast of golden light flashed about. He allowed her pleasure painted scream fully as he took deep breaths to not give into the feeling of her ripple and tightened joy around him. There was no way the past could give her such an extreme release… and there was no way he was going to stop there, either. With her he had to bang it into her head a few more times that _he_ was the one that could do this to her and not _him_. That _here_ she could always find mind boggling bliss and _there_ she could only find fumbled attempts.

Of course, missionary wouldn't do to prove that. Not again. Not a motion was wasted; he kept his pace even though she was too high to appreciate that fact. It was simple to mold her into his need, he grasped her luscious, soft, thigh and turned her slightly so she was on her side and he could angle in at a new slant, it was just a transition but it still felt too good to move on too quickly.

She came back only to know he wasn't done; he didn't get the same freedom she did—why? Hadn't he before? She didn't have too much time of a sane mind to ponder before she felt a new sensation strike her, she grasped at the cushion as she gasped freely. Her lips felt were so cold without his…

He grunted back a moan as he finished what he started and flipped her around so she was face down into the crimson cushions, her legs still against the arm of the chair. She folded her arms under her and tried her best to prop herself up with her elbows and forearm but… she just moaned out instead as he pulled her up so her knees were unstably up—with each of his brilliant thrusts she could feel an ache from the way her knees hit the hard arm of the chair but it was so mundane compared to what he was doing.

There'd be a bruise later to remind her, though.

It shouldn't strike her with such a sensation, should it? Could she really feel that way twice in the time it takes him to feel it once? Was she not doing something right? All she heard was his heavy, hot, breath and a grunt or muffled something here and there. No loving cry of her name as he still kept pounding her buttons like the pro he was to make her slam against his thrusts like her instincts told her to. No moan to show her she was making him _feel_ instead of just allowing him to go through the motions. No kisses upon her bare neck, no hands gliding her around body to remind her how good it felt for him to touch her.

Even though he had her at that very moment in the most intimate way possible she still felt so… so untouched.

Unloved?

She gripped the cushions and she shut her watery eyes to let out an almost animalistic cry. It felt too good, it had to be wrong. Nothing right ever twisted her so intently on the inside, ravished her senses so vigorously, or rose that pulling, yearning, _desire_ that would surely be the end of her. The thing she never knew she was missing until she met him.

"Ah," she cried out, so close to saying his name but even her flooded mind knew better—which one would she scream? Which one would he want to hear? What if she said the wrong one? What would he do then?

There it was _again_ the fireworks that only ecstasy could show her.

It took _everything_ that time to bite his lips and squeeze his eyes shut so that his thrust went deeper to trigger her new ripples. He grasped the back of the couch for support—he couldn't not yet… he didn't really remember why anymore—did he even _have_ a reason? He couldn't give in to her, no matter how much his own pulsing, tightened, killer need screamed for him to do just that.

He had to keep breathing, just keep himself together, composed—ha, as if. Now what? He couldn't think, she wasn't really below her at that moment… could his other self give her that break from time and reality? No. No, only _he_ could.

"Kagome," was on the tip of his tongue but he… he couldn't. He swallowed as he pulled out of her slick, sweet, region and almost toppled over but couldn't. He grabbed the crimson for support again. He'd just take her again… in a new position… he had the power, he was the one with the upper hand, he was the one that had the control. He was the skilled one… he just needed time to compose himself or else the second he re-entered her extreme tightness he'd be through before he even got her hot.

She meant to figure out what name to use by the time she gathered her senses enough to move again but… she couldn't. She just stopped thinking, it was useless, what did it do but hurt her head and finger bang her heart? One thing was for certain, she had to sit up. For but a fleeting moment she let herself lament over the ruins of her sweater—it was stretched too much to be fixed yet her breasts were still covered. He hadn't once tried to uncover them, to release them from the stiffness or even from her bra.

That's when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw his… area for the first time, she'd never seen one—why'd she blush? Well, did she even blush? Her cheeks were already flustered from the massive puzzled migration her blood flow was trying to follow. Stop thinking, right? That was the key—that was what got her into the mess, would it be what got her out of it?

She didn't care at that moment. She just wanted him to feel—even if just a fraction—what he had made her experience so she leaned towards him and took his overexerted bulge into her grasp—his entire body stiffened right then but he did nothing more than let his breath lodge itself in his throat.

He meant to ask her what the hell—right? But it was like motor oil was poured down his throat to keep his silent before… before, "oh", he couldn't muffle his moan as she encompassed him with her mouth. Her tongue played with his sensitive skin blow as she slid up and down, her hands magically working on whatever skin was exposed to the air at the moment.

Fuck, he gripped the couch with one hand and her hair with his other as he leaned forward. He had worked so hard to gain full control of the situation, of her, yet she won back the upper hand, the complete power, just like that. As if all she had to do was snap her finger and he was once more putty in her hands as she pulled and prodded him with everything she had—her lips, her tongue, her entire mouth.

"K…" no, he held back even though it was divine to feel her suck in all the air and become a vacuum upon him. He could feel his eyes flicker close from the feelings it brought, he could feel them roll back in his head almost as she did it _again_.

He couldn't take it… it took everything he had to grasp her hair more while he let out another moan but then he let go and grabbed her shoulders from the front instead to push her away as much as he didn't want to. He spilled upon his couch instead of within her.

He gave up on standing and allowed himself to slowly fall upon the floor with his back upon the couch and his legs spewed out before him. He tried his best to regain his breath—how could she do that? It was her first time, right? How could it be so... mind blowing?

She fell completely upon the same sofa as she tried to regain herself as well. Her breaths were labored for a while until they both could find some peace and settle down…

Yet, he didn't say a word as he pulled his boxers and jeans back up, zipped, buttoned, and buckled before he left.

Not a word.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

She couldn't stay there… she didn't know what to say if he returned—should she be mad at him? Maybe, but more than anything she was hurt as she journeyed back to her home alone. It was late and most of her family was asleep but she couldn't help it she _had_ to bath for the second time that night.

It wasn't like the natural steam of the hot springs but it would do… she just closed her eyes and sunk down in the water. Letting her mind wonder nowhere… she had almost fell asleep but then she knew better than that. It took her another ten or so minutes to prep for bed. Never before had her bed ever felt so fabulous as she fell down under the sheets to pull them above her shoulders and closed her eyes. Her fingers glided slightly over her swollen lips...

Yet, once she was alone in her lair, in her own darkness, her mind refused to listen… it refused to calm... to give her peace.

Did she not deserve it?

"Fuck you... fate," she murmured to herself before sleep was finally allowed.

* * *

**A/N:** tsk, tsk, Kagome cursed. This is officially the longest FF I've ever written and it's not even a few chapters away from being finished either... anyway, thank you all for reviewing and everything! I hope you continue to enjoy the story.


	25. Twofold

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-Four: Twofold****  
**_Note: Koinu means puppy_

It seemed silly and stupid of her to even bother but she still woke up in time to get dressed in her infamous school uniform—dawning on a longer pair of above-the-knee stockings to cover up her purple reminder of what occurred the night before. She had her backpack already prepped as she pulled it over her shoulder and took a shaky breath before she opened the door to her bedroom and pretend as if all was fine. She laughed as she greeted her brother, kissed her grandpa on the head, complimented her mother on breakfast and headed out with a proper 'goodbye'.

"Kagome, you're back!" They all cried as soon as she entered the room. Yes, yes, she was back, so she smiled to them and greeted all of them. Answering all the questions they had about what she had been doing while she was away and assuring them that even though she was still a little pale—and her heart was split into a hundred pieces—she was fine, that she felt a great deal better.

"I did it," her friend whispered to her as she leaned over.

With a lazy glance to the side and a cocked brow she asked 'what' without even spearing a word.

"I broke up with my boyfriend, I just started out saying 'we need to talk' and then before I knew it I was halfway through it and it felt great! It's so constricting to be stuck with the same guy for too long," she sighed as she sat back in her seat more.

She just smiled for her friend, yes… if only she had the same problems that could be solved as easy as talking about it. She had to linger after school longer than her friends, they offered to wait for her but she brushed them off. A stupid exam… that she surely failed, she hated missing school. If she didn't have to she wouldn't, if she stayed in her own world she would be a straight A student. She'd get into a good college; she'd make her mother proud…

But no, she didn't get to… but in the end, does it matter? She's meant to die young, that's what her dreams tell her so… school really doesn't mean a whole lot in the long run, now does it? Last night she had a dream. One of those that she _knew_ was important but just couldn't remember what happened. The moment she shot up in bed, far before her alarm clock beckoned for her, she had to gasp for air and her hand was gripped to stretched sweater but by the time she stopped to think 'wait, what happened?' she couldn't recall.

Oh well, it was just a dream…

She pushed the door to the hut open and walked in, letting her backpack slip from her grasp and fall to the ground before she started to take small steps down the stairs. Her eyes wondered over every inch the well she had half-expected to be sealed once more but… it was opened, she thought he left last night to keep her there forever, to close the well but… nope. Did he not care? She gripped the edge of it with all her might as she shut her eyes to the disorder of the world.

"I'm really confused!" She exclaimed to nothing at all as she fell to her knees—feeling a brief spasm of ache in the process—to let her forehead rest against the wood of the well. She didn't know what to do… who to go to… where to stay… she didn't know a damn thing.

"That makes two of us," a cool voice replied only to get her entire body to jerk from shock and her to spin around, her feet slipping from the ground in the processes so she fell right on her butt and gripped at her heart to steady the overactive thing.

She let out the breath she had been holding when she saw the man she should have expected sitting calmly upon the second stair down, his feet upon the last step, his arms folded upon his legs while he leaned forward. His face rather blank of emotion… she hated to see him look at her like that, she wanted to plead for him to be mad at her, to be upset, to smile, to frown, to smirk, to do _anything_ but look at her like that but she couldn't find her voice. Instead she looked away all together. Should she be bitter about the way last night ended? She was, deep down, but she couldn't seem to muster up the will to show it to him like she had planned on all day…

"You going back to back to Koinu?" he inquired with a slight tilt of his head, his golden gaze examining her like one would a small, scared, child.

"I don't know," she choked

Then he finally said it, "Kagome," and reached his hand out for her. Meekly, she peered up to him—the sweetest sadness in his eyes, what a clever trick. She never wanted to see him unhappy… she couldn't help but find a way to her feet in only a second to reach out and take his hand and leap into his arms. She wrapped one of her arms around his neck as her painfully purple knees collided with the wood on either side of his lap, her eyes closed ever so tightly as she grasped his hand into hers. He must have never wanted to see her so unhappy either, because he wrapped his free arm around her waist to pull her closer and kiss the nape of her neck gently.

He gave up then; he'd act with complete candor instead of trying to keep up his 'cool' façade that he showed to everyone. It was safe to let that down with just her, wasn't it? "Stay, stay, stay, Kagome," he requested with such unshaken need, "_stay_ here with me, don't go. I love you. I _love_ you. More than that koinu can, more than anyone can, I can't… without you, I can't go on," however pathetic that may be, he took a breath to continue, "I'm ill of the thought of your sugar laced kiss on _his_ lips instead of mine. I know I'm not allowed to take your freedom from you but… is there a chance? A shred of hope at the end of all this that you'll change your mind? That you'll stay? If not…" he pulled himself just slightly away, just enough that he could see into her hazels that avoided his ambers, "I don't know if our fate's already sealed… and if even it is I'll still try my best to change it. To fight with it. If…" he pressed his lips together as his brows bent towards each other, she finally looked to him, "if I can't change your mind. I'll… I'll tear myself away from you, if that's what you need then there's nothing left to say… _but_ if there's a chance… just a small, fleeting gleam of hope…" she leaned forward so her forehead was against his and he closed his eyes. "I love you."

"I know," she whispered, "I know, I know," she knew he loved her… she knew and adored to hear it, too. He adjusted their stance so his lips could meet her swollen ones, it almost hurt but she didn't care. She allowed him full access as her hands pried at his jet black hair and pulled him closer. She didn't want to let him go.

Either of them... Ever.

"I love you, too," she gasped after their lips parted. She wasn't so sure where her new boldness came from but she didn't care, either, as she pushed him back and scooted up his lap so she could for _once_ be the one with the dominance in the situation. Obviously, he hadn't expected that or else he wouldn't have fallen against the rigid wood so abruptly to smack his head upon the edge of one of them. He flinched some as he reached his hand up to his skull.

"Sorry," she laughed lightly, "are you alright?"

"See, you are a violent girl," he taunted back, her lips weren't too far from his and he tried to reach them only for her to pull away—a smile lifting them.

"It's just payback for the bruises on my knees," she assured and much to her delight he chuckled at that.

"You're adorable even when you don't mean to be," he grinned before she leaned down to brush her lips against his. His hands all the while rummaging their way up her thighs, then she kissed him again, "I have to admit, the stupid school girl uniform has really grown on me." He got a laugh out of her before they rekindled their actions until his hands found their way under her green skirt to tug on her underwear.

That got her to push away and shriek, "Shiro!"

Right away, her hands snapped to her mouth and eyes widened, she hadn't meant to say that. She hadn't meant to call him anything since she hadn't figured out which he wanted… would he be upset? Did he want to be 'Inuyasha'? How come _Shiro_ came out? But then she saw it, a surreal smile slid up his lips as his hands pulled hers away from her mouth.

"I guess I _am_ Shiro," he admitted as he kissed her hands, "keep calling me that. Only think of _me_ when you say that name."

A blush cascaded across her cheeks as she nodded, "alright," she'd only think of him then… he was her Shiro and she was Shiro's Kagome. He tugged on her hands lightly so that she'd lean down to kiss him once more. That sealed the deal.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

That… how should he feel about that? Hurt? Hate? Which? For which of them? He was supposedly him so… so seeing Kagome so intimately with the other meant… she was with him but _no_ he didn't buy that. He didn't buy that _that_ Shiro guy was somehow him. He just didn't. So he gripped the well tighter as he leaped out of it. There was no way in hell that Shiro hadn't noticed he'd been there for a majority of the time. To hear all his shit about how much he _loved_ Kagome—his Kagome. Not that Shiro guy's, maybe he hadn't told her yet that he loved her, maybe he couldn't string his words in such a pretty fashion but that didn't mean that Shiro could take her.

He grabbed Kagome's upper arms and pulled her off of Shiro to glare at the man who only gave him a smirk back before he sat up to lazily lay one of his arms across his knee.

"In… Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped as she covered her mouth, her wide eyes stuck to the intense look upon his face. How long had he been there? How much did he hear? Why was he here? She wasn't supposed to return until tomorrow… she should have known better than to think that he'd allow her the two days she requested. He never did, he was always coming early and bickered about how long it was taking her.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha growled to his cocky counterpart.

"Me?" he coaxed with that same taunting smile, "nothing, nothing at all. What is it that you think you are doing? Hm? Prying a girl from her boyfriend like that's very rude, Koinu."

"What did you call me?" He withdrew his hands from Kagome then to draw them into fists, more than ready to try and take on the demon in front of him.

"_Ko-i-nu_," he broke down carefully.

"Why you—!" He barked as he lifted his fist but Kagome got in the way, placing a hand on his chest and another in front of Shiro.

"Stop! Don't fight each other! That'd be ridiculous!" She protested, "can't we be civil and talk this out?"

"Of course," Shiro retorted as he took her hand that was out in front of him into his hand, looking at Inuyasha the entire time as he leaned in to kiss her finger tips. His past self only shook from fury at that moment as he lunged to grasp Shiro's fancy shirt collar. Luckily, Kagome got out of the way just in time to avoid getting caught between the time.

"Stop it!" She shouted but to no avail, Inuyasha still punched Shiro straight in the face—which meant, of course, that Shiro allowed that. He wouldn't be the violent one, the immature Inuyasha could. Even though his dearest Kagome was violent at times she hated to watch it and he was right, from the corner of his eyes he saw her cover her mouth and gasp. Really, what better way to show her that _he_ was the best choice than to show her how he was the mature one? He was the one that could keep a cool head? He was the one that could take care of her?

"Inuyasha!" She shrieked, "stop!"

"I'm gonna kill you," Inuyasha growled below his breath as he jerked Shiro up more by his collar. The grin that Shiro kept on his lips only irked him more as he grasped his fists tighter, prepared once more to strike at him but this time Shiro grabbed that hand and twisted it with ease.

"Now, now," Shiro taunted, "how about we talk about this?"

"Let me go, you bastard!"

"Shiro! Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out as she covered her eyes. This was too much… she was glad that the last time she had to deal with both of them at the same time she was recovering from what the munashii did to her because _this_ was just too much. "I can't take this! Maybe I should just stay away from _both_ of you!" She jumped past them and ran out of the hut, she had enough sense to grab her backpack and slam the hut door behind her as she sped down the stairs and across the busy street—honking horns and pissed off drives were all she heard before she continued her escape. It took her no time to get to the first train station and hop onto which would leave soonest.

She had to get away… she couldn't deal with that. They were both being immature… didn't they even consider how hard it was for her? She sighed as she sat down on the only opening seat and hung her head low. Shiro was egging Inuyasha on, she could tell, and Inuyasha was well… Inuyasha, so he took the bait.

"This sucks," she gripped as she hugged her backpack. She didn't want to be around either of them… and she could run from Inuyasha with ease. He didn't get Tokyo and _hopefully_ had enough sense not to follow her. It was only thanks to the fact that Shiro probably hadn't expected her to jet out of there that he didn't catch her and the fact that the train was just about to leave the station as she hopped onto it.

This wasn't going to be fun… did she have to make a choice now? Did she have to be so torn?

She supposed… in the end, she deserved this.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Fine, she knew what she had to do. That's all she could do, figure out bit by bit what to do next. She couldn't figure out the future, she couldn't think too far ahead, she'd just think about the upcoming events. She would just take it all bit-by-bit, then again, when she was with Shiro last night she was only thinking like that… and when she was with Inuyasha in the cabin that's all she was thinking… now look how it ended up? She sighed as she let her head lightly slam against the café's table, her hand loosely looped around the warm tea.

"I'm sorry," she froze from the sound of Shiro's whimsical voice and the chair in front of her pulling out so he could sit down. Inuyasha and him had almost the same voice, identical, but she could always tell them apart—right? "Kagome, this must be really hard on you but… it's hard for me, too, ya' know? I love you, endlessly, I want to stand by you at all times. I'd be lonely without your light. I need you and to think that he could take you from me… it hurts. It kills me."

"Shiro," she whispered before she looked up to see him looking at her with bent brows, a frown etched into him, "I love you."

"I know… but… do you love him, too?"

She nodded before she sat up straight in her chair, her eyes upon her barley touched tea. How'd he find her? Should she even care to ask?

"Who… who's more important?" it was odd for the both of them to hear his voice so unsure, so weak. Only _she_ could make him feel so insignificant, so puny.

"Please…" she whispered, she couldn't deal with that. She didn't… she didn't know. Did that make her an awful person? Shouldn't it be easy? Shiro was the one she'd been most intimate with, but she'd been through so much more with Inuyasha… so many trials.

"Kagome," he reached his hand out for her to take, her eyes flickered between him, her tea, and his hand before she bit the side of her bottom lip and took it. "Let's go home."

"I have to talk to Inuyasha," she sighed, that was the next step she knew she had to take. She had to face him and tell him all that Shiro and her had done together, maybe if she was lucky Inuyasha would be so repulsed by that he'd just give up on her… if one of them gave up on her then it'd be easy. The choice would be made for her… it'd hurt like hell fire but it would all finally be decided.

"Alright," he muttered as he helped her to her feet and took her backpack for her before they walked out of the little café right next to Harajuku Street. It was a place her and her friends liked to frequent, they rarely went down Harajuku Street; the fashion wasn't their style and there were always some strange people there that were trying to sell them shoes but they enjoyed sitting in the café and watching all the weirdos walk around.

"Hey," she cringed at the sound of the similar growl and closed her eyes. Seriously? Apparently she was far easier to find than she had thought…

"Oh my lord," she heard Shiro groan as his grip on her hand tightened.

"Get away from her," Inuyasha, she didn't dare open her eyes to verify that, growled as he took a step closer to Shiro. Then she finally did to see even though his arms were folded that he wanted to kill Shiro. At least he found a hat to wear… somehow she figured Souta had something to do with that. At least they were standing outside of Harajuku Street so it didn't seem too bad. Just the walk home would be… and he was barefoot, that got the most stares.

"This is embarrassing even _me_," Shiro bickered as he cocked and brow and looked around.

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha grunted.

"Lordy," Kagome grumbled as she reached out to pry one of Inuyasha's hands out of his arms and pull him to her other side, she interlaced her fingers with his and he settled down some. Neither really enjoyed the fact that they were both hand-in-hand with Kagome, both would rather have that exclusive joy.

She spent the time just pretending like the situation was magically better somehow and ignoring all the stares. Please, gods, don't let any of her friends see her or else she'd have to explain it over and over again and that… would just be awful.

When they got home she'd take Inuyasha away and to the side and tell him everything she should… she'd give it up to fate. He'd either get super pissed by accept it and her or reject her and there—_finally_—she have her answer.

She'd just be with Shiro… in her world.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Sirens were like a beacon to them as they began to edge closer and closer to her home. Then there was smoke and… her heart sank as she let go of both of their hands and ran towards the stairs and up them, both close behind her. Her house was fine, she sighed in relief as she reached her mother's side. Her mom took her into her arms as they stared at all that was on fire… the well house?

The fire department was working fully to try and put out the little hut… if the well burned down would it still work? How could just that be on fire… why would someone do that? It set in just like that as her body loosened with realization. Only… only one person would want to destroy the well. Only one person would want to keep her here so desperately that he'd do something so drastic. She turned her head slightly, to see a unreal look upon Shiro's face. He wasn't upset by the sight at all, the flames just reflected in his golden gaze brilliant as he stared unrelentingly at the burning, crackling, wood before him.

The well was gone… and he couldn't really hide that smile.

She couldn't take it, she pushed away from her mother and stomped over to Shiro to slap him across the face with all the power she had. He lied. He _lied_.

"You're a liar!" His eyes widened slightly as them moved finally to the furry stricken girl. His words… all he said early in that _very_ sport that now faded in flames—along with her trust in him. Fire, fire… he set her soul on fire. He said he'd let her go if that's what she wanted—she never said that _was_ but he just took the option away from her! How was she to trust him? She hated more than anything in the whole world when someone—_anyone_—made a decision for her like that! It wasn't fair, how could he? What made him think he knew what was best for her? Only she did! She's the only one that can decided which world she wants to be in, which lover she wants to live with, how dare he take that from her!

"K… Kagome?" Shiro questioned with a cocked brow.

"You did this!" She pointed to the settle flames, "you did it, didn't you!? You! How dare you! You jerk! How… how dare you!"

"Kagome," he coaxed, avoiding another hit from her, "I didn't."

"Why are you lying to me again?" She shook her head and her hands to keep him away, "leave! Leave! Leave! I don't want anything to do with you right now!"

"But—"

"I don't care, Shiro, get lost!" She pushed him out of her way, grabbed the dumbfounded half-demon by the hand and jerked him towards her house with him.

Get lost, huh? He couldn't help but feel the same way that hut did as he firefighters finally beat the fight and what was left of the wood collapsed… his eyes following her all the while as she slammed her door shut—Inuyasha's hand tightly grasped in hers.

He pressed his lips together, before he shoved his hands into his pocket and turned around to leave.

"Shiro…" Souta began as he moved away from his grandpa.

"Don't worry about it, kid," he muttered before he began down the stairs. If she wanted him to 'get lost' then _fine_… he would.

* * *

**A/N: **I was listening to Fine Frenzy the entire time I was writing this chapter, I bet it shows, huh? _Almost Lovers_ is such a touchy song. I adore it.

Anyway, as always, I hope you enjoyed and please review!


	26. Disappear

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-Five: Disappear **

"I have to tell you something!" Kagome sped out as soon as she got them up to her bedroom and pretty much flung Inuyasha onto her bed. Her eyes were shut ever so tightly as she clasped her hands together and stood tensely before the bed.

"A… Alright," Inuyasha stuttered as he scooted away from her some. He wasn't the most observant person in all the world but he knew enough to know that was never a good look. Either she was mad at him or hadn't anything good to say which, really, did he need to deal with that right now? He… he loved Kagome, though he found it hard to admit, he did and he had just heard her confess her love to _another_ man whether that man was him or not was completely besides the point. Now she was pissed at that guy for setting fire to the well and… what? One of his brows were raised the entire time as he folded both his legs and arms, waiting for her to say whatever was obviously stuck in her throat.

Tell him, tell him, tell him… it was only fair that he knew. She took a deep breath before she finally freed her vocal cords enough to confess with a slightly bowed head, "I had sex with Shiro." There was no need in defining how many times that occurred, though… was it twice? Or was it three times? Did that one encounter count for two? Oh! She hadn't any idea. All she knew was she couldn't open her eyes, there was just no way that could happen so she just took a deep breath and held it, waiting for his reply…

She… he looked away and towards the window to see some waving smoke in the air but the fire was gone… would the well still work once they pushed all the debris off of it? Could he go back to his time? Would he do that this very moment if he could? All he knew was… he'd never felt such a pain tear through his heart before. It was like being stabbed in the back to hit his heart. It was betrayal… he knew that. "W… Why?" If there was ever a place to start, it was with that.

"The first time was when I was alway for so long… I didn't know if I'd ever return and he… he was just… I don't know, I'm sorry," she bowed her head more to him, still not able to pry open her eyes that were sealed tighter than the volt to any Swiss bank. At least… he was taking it better than she had expected, no, that was a lie… she wanted him to be mad at her, to scream, to yell, to curse, to be _pissed_ like he usually was because… because this silent sorrow wouldn't do, she couldn't take it. It wasn't him, and it hurt her hammered heart more than any cruel word he could spew at her.

"The _first_ time?" He growled.

Oh, no, she clenched her fists together as her entity tensed more. A guilty conscious always confesses, even if it does not mean to…

"The _first_ time?!" He repeated as he jumped up to stand on her bed, "how many fucking times!?"

At least she got what she wanted, he was mad… _very_ mad. "I… I… I…"

"Stop stuttering and tell me!"

"Twice," she spat out, that was good enough. "Just twice."

"When was the _last_ time?"

"W…well," she heard him jump down upon the ground in front of her then he grasped her shoulders and pried her to stand up straight but she still didn't have to open her coward covered eyes. "L… Last night? I'm really sorry, I am! I know it's awful of me but… and... if you never want to see me again then I'd completely understand! I would. I've been awful, I'm sorry." She was, for once she knew for certain that she _was_ sorry. She knew that betrayal to Inuyasha would scar him more than Shiro—right?—because he was still so fragile… still so sure he didn't belong anywhere.

He let go of her shoulders and took a step back, hitting the bed in the process. His wide, gold, eyes unrelentingly locked on the girl before him that wouldn't even _look_ at him as she destroyed his world. She was the one certainty in it, the one thing that he _thought _he could always count on. If something bad was happening, she'd be there, whether he'd like it or not. If he needed anyone, she was there, like magic, by his side and holding his hand—maybe not always literally—through the trial. She was there… yet, now she wouldn't be?

He opened his mouth to shout something, to curse, to say _anything_ that would make the swelling sting in his chest concede but nothing came out, he just choked on his intention as he sat down on the bed, his eyes moved to the ground then… did… he deserve this? He played tag with her and Kikyou for so long… that did it make sense she found someone that apparently doted over _only_ her? Had that Shiro—_if_, and only _if_, he was his future self—forget about Kikyou? Had those feelings finally faded? Because they were still so real for him, he could still reach out to the stars and night and think of her touch, of her scent, of all they had gone through together… he couldn't yet fully give his heart to Kagome even if that's what he fully intended to do.

Would she not wait for him? Would she just go on?

Finally, she pushed her spineless self away and meddled her eyes opened to see… the pain, the _pain_ she knew she caused him. That look was so familiar to her, even if he tried to hid it all that time, she pressed her lips together to keep herself from reaching out and cupping his cheek in her hand. She wanted to take it back, she wanted never to make him so miserable but… what was done was done and he deserved to know the truth. "Inuyasha…"

He shook his head ever so slightly that she wasn't sure he had actually done it. Abruptly she dropped to her knees and placed her hands on his, feeling the pang of pain from the bruises that were her reward of being such a fickle female. That got him to give her a side glance but nothing more.

"I… I am sorry, I really am, I never meant to hurt you, I know I have, I knew it would but… but he was just so mad the other night when I told him about what happened in the cabin that he… he just…"

"Did he hurt you?" He snapped quickly, turning his head to see her.

Did he _rape_ you, that's what he meant, but she couldn't give him that—would it make him feel better if he had? So she shook her head with bent brows and just like that Inuyasha's yellow stare snapped away from her. "I hate hurting you two… I do, Inuyasha," she squeezed his hakama's fabric in her hands. It was easy to say that now, but… if she hated it so much why did she keep doing that? "It hasn't anything to do with you being a half-demon, Inuyasha," she had to say it, she knew with him that was always an option, "I… I love you, half-demon, full-demon, human, whatever, it doesn't matter, it never will."

That… was true, he knew it, with almost anyone else he'd doubt their words but Kagome never judged him on that factor. "I…" she loved him, but if she did… then why did she find solace with Shiro? "I'm…"

"If you never want to see me again—"

"Shut up!" he shouted as he grabbed her hands and switched his gaze back to hers, "I'm not going to give you to him! He has to fight me for that!"

Oh, lordy, she pressed her lips together and tilted her head to the side some.

"You don't get out of this that easily!" Did he even know that she was trying that…? "I love you!" he hadn't honestly meant to confess that but… but it just came out, so why not? Though, even now, his cheeks flushed with color when he caught his flustered mistake and he moved back on the bed so he could fold his legs and arms and get away from her grasp.

Before… that would have given her such a high. Her heart would have sworn into the clouds, it still flew from his fumbled words just not as high, there was a twinge of twisted angst to his them, too, now. She slowly got up to sit on the edge of the bed and look out the window to see the smoke was slowly faded as the night took the sky. What now?

"I love you, too," she couldn't not say it back, it would only hurt his feelings worse but… did saying that really help? Yay, they loved each other but she still loved Shiro and Shiro still loved her but… but he took the well from her, how could he? Why would he? He had sworn he'd let her go if she wanted him to yet he went and burned the hut down all the same. Was all he good for were pretty words?

Then she felt something she wasn't expecting, Inuyasha's arms wrap around her from behind to pull her into his lap and embrace, his face buried in her ebony waves. He didn't know what to think… what to do, but he knew he wanted this. He knew he wanted to savor hearing her say those words, accept his, even if it wasn't under grand circumstances. Then his nose found her bare neck and he couldn't help but press his lips to it, just once, that was all he meant to do but… she was so warm and smelled _so_ good that he did it again, and again as his hands slid down her.

She closed her eyes and caught one of his wondering hands, unintentionally leaning away to give him more access to her neck. He began to suck and nibble upon it before she could find enough sense to squeeze his hand, "Inuyasha… that… that's… this is not such a great deal. I just… I can't… I need to figure out where my head is," where her _heart_ was. She'd keep her panties on, she wouldn't do a damn thing with either. She'd make a choice. _She_ would make a choice. She wouldn't let fate have it. She wouldn't take the easy way out. She'd figure it out.

He nodded but that didn't mean he'd let her go, that didn't mean he wasn't going to hold her as she fell asleep in his warm embrace nor that he'd ever leave her throughout the entire night.

Because… this was what he wanted more than the shikon jewel, more than Naraku's death… he wanted Kagome.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

She felt so groggy as she rolled out of the empty bed, her hair was a wretched wreck but she didn't feel like dealing with it so while she brushed her teeth and just put it up in a frayed bun then whipped the sleep from her eyes the best she could. Today there was no school, thankfully it was the weekend. She stretched her arms up high as she walked down the stairs, her flannel PJs that she had changed into rose up with her arms some before she reached the kitchen.

"Good morning, sweetheart," her mother greeted as she prepared breakfast.

"Hello," was all she could muster up in return.

"Inuyasha's outside," her grandpa pointed out.

She nodded, she'd been wondering where he had went.

"Hey, sis, you were really mean to Shiro," Souta had to say before she could exit through the kitchen door to find Inuyasha. She stopped briefly and turned to give her bother a strange look, what did he know? "Why do you think _he's_ the one that set it on fire? Huh? He's really—"

"He's the only one that would have any reason to, he doesn't want me to go back," she stated firmly before she left without arguing with him any further. Inuyasha was right where she thought he'd be, rummaging around in the ruins of the hut. "Morning."

"Hey," he grunted back as he kicked some dead wood to the side, his glance moved to her only to see she was about to make her way over to him so he stuck his hand out, "stop, you aren't wearing any shoes."

"Neither are you," she protested with a small, weak, laugh.

"Keh, my feet are better than yours," he protested, "I'm trying to find the well."

"I figured as much," she muttered as she watched him take his sword out—within its sheath. "Hey, hey, I know that it's tempting to just destroy all this debris but you can't use that."

"Yeah, I know," he grumbled, he had already tried that only for her mother to come outside in a panic and ask what he was up to. Instead, he used the sheathed sword to push more of the stuff out of the way, all the while he had his back was to her. "Kagome…"

"Huh?" she mumbled back as she tried to track out a way around all the broken, burnt, wood to be able to get to him without having to go in and get a pair of shoes.

"I'm not going to give you to him," he weakly declared, "even… even if you tell me to stop… I can't. I… I won't. I can't... talk as fancy as he can," it was a lot like Miroku and he hadn't that type of skill with women, "and I'm... difficult," he could manage to admit that, "but I love you."

"I know," she whispered back, but it was loud enough that he heard it just fine. "It's alright… I never want to say goodbye to you. Even if…" she choice Shiro, "I don't want to never see you again."

"Good," was all he said for a while until he finally found the hole to the well, "it looks OK." Expect for the wooden part being gone, the stone wall that led to the floor was intact.

"Really?" she inquired, he jumped some from hearing her voice _right_ above his shoulder.

"What did I tell you about coming over here?" he scoffed.

"Whatever," she retorted as she knelt down, wincing some, and looked down it, "it does look OK."

"Keh, burning it down was stupid, it's a _well_ it's built into the ground," he grunted as he held out his hand to her, "give me the shikon shard you have. I'm going to see if I can still get through."

"Can't you get through without the shikon shard?" she bickered.

"Give it," he ordered with a wiggle of his hand.

"Why?" She narrowed her hazels on him.

"What? Do you think I'm going to go through and _not_ come back for you? You think I'd just run away from all of this like that?" he scolded. She couldn't help but frown and she looked away, of course he wouldn't, she shouldn't have even thought such a thing… she pulled off the wired necklace that held the single shard she carried with her at all times so that she could get back and forth between the well. He took it in his hand as he jumped down and, just like that, he was gone. She held her breath while she waited to see if his words were true, if he'd return… and before she suffocated herself he was back and jumping out of the well to be right beside her.

"Yeah, it works just fine," he held out the jewel for her to take it back and she did.

"Good," was all she could think to say as she stood up, he swept her off her feet—literally—to carry her through the debris and set her down on the ground. "Thanks…"

"Yeah…"

"Did… you see… Shiro set the hut on fire?" She had to ask as she glanced away.

"Of course not," he grunted, "if I had I would have stopped him."

"Was he alone with it long enough to do that?" Was she having some doubts, perhaps?

"I don't know, you ran off, I ran into Souta and he pulled me inside to give me a cap then that guy was gone when I went outside again so I tried to go find you. He could have come back and did it, I don't know."

"Sis!" Souta shouted as he scurried up to them, "hey, Inuyasha."

"Hey, kid," he replied in his usual mutter.

"What is it, Souta?" Kagome mumbled.

"I…" he pressed his lips together as he looked to the side, "I have to tell you something… you haven't to stop being mad at Shiro. You need to go apologize."

"Souta," she grunted as she placed her fists on her hips, "you're too young to get what's going on. Just back off."

"No!" He closed his eyes, "you think he burned down the well but it wasn't him! He's not the only one with a reason to! I hate that you keep going back and forth! It makes everything shitty! I have to stay home more and go to soccer practice less and mom is always worried! You should be here and not there, anyway! My friends and I were playing around yesterday and I mentioned how much I hate that stupid hut and… and we didn't really mean to but one of my friends had some matches… we didn't think it would spread so quickly! We didn't mean to! I'm sorry!"

Her hands slipped from her hips quickly as she gawked at her little brother, she imagined she looked a lot like he did when she was confessing her misdeeds to Inuyasha the night prior. She glanced to him, he was just as wide-eyed.

"Souta…"

"Please don't tell mom!" He shouted before he turned on his heels and ran back to the house.

So… she was wrong? Shiro _hadn't_ done it… her heart sank; she couldn't seem to figure out at that moment why she ever thought he would.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

She knocked because, really, she didn't feel she had the right to use the key that he had given her to open the door when she was unannounced. She didn't mean to be, she had called him several times yet he never answered so she finally gave in and headed to his place. Of course, Inuyasha refused to allow her to go alone and she gave up on trying to fight him so she wasn't waiting alone in front of his grand door. A solid minute passed and there wasn't a reply so she did it again, a little louder… still, nada.

"Keh, let's go," Inuyasha requested.

"I have to apologize," she murmured back as she readjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. She couldn't… believe herself. She was so stupid. Such a silly, untrusting, girl… he had said he hadn't done it but she wouldn't listen. Was she just looking for an excuse to be mad at one of them? She sighed, that was a 'yes'. "Shiro, please answer!"

Still, nothing so she reached into her thin brown jacket's pocket to get the key. If he wasn't going to let her in so she could say sorry then she'd do it herself, she didn't even kick off her shoes as she stepped in. "Shiro?"

"Maybe he's not here," Inuyasha surmised as he stepped in after her, he didn't bother to leave the entrance as she searched his entire place. "See, told you so."

"Yeah…" but then it clicked like that, it was sort of around lunch time, "I think I know where he is, though but…" she glanced around Inuyasha a few times before she closed the front door and sighed, "I'm sorry… you have to change."

"What?" he snickered.

"You and Shiro have to be the same size," and while she was sure Shiro would get pissed she was also just as sure he had plenty of clothes to spare so she went to his closet and drawers and found something for Inuyasha to change into.

"No," he bickered as he inched out of Shiro's bedroom, "I refuse."

"Inuyasha, please!" She grunted, "for me, _please_? It'll be so much easier to find Shiro if you aren't dressed like that. All we'll get is weird stares and a bunch of questions asking if there is a festival in town."

"I don't care if people stare at me," he protested with firmly folded arms.

"I don't either, you're perfectly fine the way you are," she sighed with sagging shoulders and a warn look upon her face, "but it'll still be easier if you change, pretty please? Please? Please?"

"No," he shook his head quickly, "I'm not wearing those ridiculous things."

She rolled her eyes before shifting her weight to one foot over the other, "I didn't want to do this but… I _will_ use the _word_ if you don't."

He narrowed his eyes upon her, "you wouldn't."

"Oh, I would," she assured with a nod.

"You can't."

"I can."

"You shouldn't," he growled, "after everything? How could you threaten me with that?"

"Because you are being difficult," she slowly, surely, said but she knew he was right… she really shouldn't be threatening him was 'S-I-T' after all she had done, all that she had ripped apart within him, but she was and she'd continue to until he changed. Of course, she'd never actually did it. So it was really a test at who could hold out the longest.

"You wouldn't," he repeated.

"I _will_, you have to the count of three. One…" she placed her hands on her hips, "two…." She straightened her back. "Three… fine—"

"OK!" He protested bitterly, "fine! Just don't say it!"

"Thank you," she chimed ever so sweetly as she smiled brightly and pointed to the clothes she had placed on the bed, "just change, I'll be right outside the door."

Just change… easier said than done.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

Ten straight minutes had passed since she went to sit in the living room, how could putting on boxers, jeans, a T-shirt, socks, and a jacket _really_ take that long? She sighed heavily as she walked over to the door and knocked, "are you OK in there?"

"Yeah…" he replied ever so wearily that she couldn't help but cock a brow and narrow her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing…"

"I'm coming in," she warned before she opened the door to see that he had gotten the shirt but the pants weren't working out or… really anything else so she slapped a hand over her face and groaned. She should have known… he wore such a complicated outfit that she and the rest of the general population would never be able to tie all the proper knots and get it on _but_ he couldn't get modern clothes? She supposed that made sense. "Having issues, are we?"

"Shut up," he scoffed.

"Let me help," she requested as she walked over to take his pants in hand—at least he figured out that the boxers went on underneath—and pulled them the proper amount up then zipped and buttoned. They were the same size, exactly… so his body really never changed? Not after all those centuries? She smoothed out his white T-shirt and tugged on the bottom before she picked up the jacket, "just put your arms in the sleeves." It was a basic black corduroy blazer that he hadn't any problem putting on. Then she took off one of her hair-ties from her wrist and tied his hair back into a thick ponytail, it two of the ties she kept on her wrist just in case—since she, too, had her hair up that day—to get it to stick.

To finish the look, she found a black, warn, canvas field cap. "Perfect," she congratulate herself as she stepped aside to see him and right away her face went blank.

"What?" Inuyasha grumbled, "I feel ridiculous enough without you looking at me like that, how am I supposed to move around in these things?" he gripped as he wiggled his leg.

"You… you don't look ridiculous," she assured as she looked away. She had never really pictured Inuyasha outside for his usual red outfit yet… wow, she hadn't expected he look so dashing. Then again, Shiro essentially looked like a human version of him and he always looked good in his clothes, she should have seen this coming.

"Why are your cheeks red?" He kept up with a cocked brow, "I want to change back into my normal clothes."

"No," she sped as she brushed a loose strand of her hair out of her face and walked over to pick up the socks, "put these on, too, I'm sure some of Shiro's shoes will fit you."

"I don't want to wear those stupid things!"

"Inuyasha! A lot of places have a no-shirt, no-shoes, no-services policy so if we are going to find Shiro you have to wear shoes!"

"I don't want to find that guy!"

She sighed as she shook her head, "but I do. If you don't want to come with me that's fine, I'll take you home and you can—"

"No," he muttered between clenched teeth as he snatched the socks from her hand and sat down to fumble around until he could slide them on by the time he was done she knelt down in front of him and put on a pair of black and white sneakers on his feet. "Are you OK? You keep wincing whenever you kneel."

She should really give Inuyasha more credit, he was just a bit more observant than she thought he was, she shrugged, "I just hurt me knees the other day, nothing bad."

"You sure?"

She nodded as she smiled up to him, "you look very handsome, Inuyasha."

That's all it took for his face to beam up like a stop-light.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"He wasn't at the Chinese place," she muttered as they continued on their trek through the city.

"So?" he grumbled, "maybe he went somewhere else to eat. Aren't there a _thousand_ places?"

"Yeah… but he always goes there, and they said he didn't eat there last tonight… he _always_ eats there," she recalled with furrowed brows, where did he go? She pulled out her cell again, no missed calls, no messages, he _had_ to have seen that she called him… right? She tried him three more times, still nothing, was he alright? Was he just mad? Panic pecked at her heart like a vulture as they sped around the city the rest of the day, only stopping for food every once and a while.

"Stop," Inuyasha groaned once the night took the sky, he had to grab her wrist to make her actually listen to him.

"No! Why can't we find him? Where'd he go?" She protested as she tried to wiggle from his grasp, "maybe something happened, maybe he's not OK!"

"He's a demon, what could happen to him?" Inuyasha inquired bitterly as he pulled her closer and took her other wrist, "settle down."

"No," she whined, "no, no, I can't… there are all these other demons that don't like him very much…" she couldn't help but recall the day at the Inn in Kyoto. What if someone that could actually take him found him? What if… if something really bad happened? There were obviously demons out there that scared him, he was cautious around Ohachi.

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed as he pulled her into an embrace, "he's probably fine. Maybe he's back at his place, you wanna check there again?"

"Alright…" she muttered as she closed her eyes and just lingered in his arms for a moment or two. It was weird to have Inuyasha be the one to spark the hug but she was grateful… so he could be compassionate if he really wanted to, huh? "Wait, wait," she pushed away as her eyes scanned around the street they had wound up on, "I know this street, I know where we are!"

"I was kinda hopin' you did," Inuyasha retorted with an iffy look upon his face.

"No, no, I mean," she shook her head, "just come with me," she grasped his hand as they crossed the street to the elegant establishment over there. The lobby of the complex was astounding, she wouldn't forget it so easily.

"Ma'am," the bell hop stopped her, "how can I help you?"

"I need to go see Chiyoko," she replied as she looked up the building.

"Mmhm," he eyed her and Inuyasha strangely before his eyes returned to Inuyasha, "oh! Mr. Toashi, hello, I did not recognize you there for a moment, you changed your hair style?" He cocked a brow as he looked at how long it was, "you are Mr. Toashi… right?"

"Yes, of course, they are extensions," Kagome assured with a wave of her hand and a laugh, "now can we go up to see Chiyoko?" She had never heard Inuyasha's fake last name being used, she'd only ever seen it on the credit card that he gave her.

"Yes, yes, right this way," he led them as far as the elevator before he bowed his head and walked away.

"Who's Mr. Toashi?" Inuyasha inquired.

"Shiro, I guess," she shrugged as she pressed the top floor.

"Where are we going?"

"To see one of Shiro's friends, she'll know where he is," she had to… maybe if she was lucky he'd even be there... hopefully not doing what he did best, though.

When they reached the top of the elevator it just stopped and beeped twice before the speaker turned on with such a familiar voice, "who is it?"

"M…" no way, "Mimiko?"

"Yeah… who is it?"

"It's Kagome… Higurashi? Do you remember me?"

"Oh! Kagome, yeah, sure what do you want?"

"Can I come in?" She really would hate to have this conversation through the speaker.

"I suppose," and with that there was a bing and the elevator doors opened so they could step into a small hallway, it took some time but the decorated door opened up with cat-ear showing Mimiko, one of her hands on the door and the other on her hip, "what do you… oh my god! You look just like Yasha!" She freaked as she pointed to Inuyasha.

"Do you know where he is, Mimiko?" Kagome stepped between the two, to try and grab the girls attention.

"You smell like him, too!"

"Mimiko!" She shrieked, finally winning the girls attention, "where's Inuyasha? Where's Shiro? Do you know _where_ he is?"

"At… his apartment?" Mimiko mused meekly, "why…?"

Her heart sank into her stomach, "can… can I talk to Chiyoko?" If anyone knew where he was or at least _how_ to get a hold of him it would be her…

Hopefully.


	27. Destination

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-Six: Destination **

"Oh," Chiyoko sang as she tilted her head side to side while her violet eyes wondered all over the Inuyasha that sat next to Kagome upon the couch. She had heard the entire story out, from the time traveling through the well to the burning of the hut, her face was beautifully blank for a long while before her smile reappeared as she slid from the chair that was positioned across from the couch and knelt down in front of Inuyasha, letting her hands slide up his legs, "the younger, _half-_demon version of Inuyasha, hm? You are cute. Did Kagome tell you how we will get married?"

"Chiyoko," Kagome scolded as she shooed her away with a wave of her hands, "leave him alone."

"M… Married?" Inuyasha gawked, "that Shiro guy _married_ this girl and you like him best?" He snickered as he pointed to Chiyoko with his thumb and turned to glare at Kagome.

It hurt her a little to hear him say that, 'you like him best', was that true? She just frowned and looked away, "Inuyasha…"

"We wed so that he could become the ruler of Japan," Chiyoko assured as she sat back down in her chair and straightened out her elegant silk kimono, "you are just too precious, look at those little ears of yours. I love you! You are just too adorable, anata!"

"This lady is weird," Inuyasha grumbled as he pulled Kagome closer as if to use her as a shield to keep the gleaming Chiyoko away.

"Chiyoko, remember the whole point of this?" Kagome sighed, "where is Inuyasha-Shiro? Is he OK? Can you get a hold of him? Is he…?"

"Is he…?" Chiyoko couldn't help but taunt, the dismal dread that etched itself into Kagome's face gave her a bit of a thrill, "I do not know where he has gone. I will call him, if you would like?"

"Please," she sped with a bow of her head, "thank you."

"Hold, please," she requested with a lift of her hand as she leaned over to pick up her antique, graceful phone and turn the numbers until she had the right series. She swirled a loose strand of her silver hair as her eyes danced about the still cowering cutie behind Kagome. How amusing it was, she was sure that Inuyasha had mentioned something about time travel and a well to her throughout all their years together to try and explain why he knew a girl from the future yet she simply thought he was talking out of his temporary insanity from his massive lack of sleep since once she eased his mind he never spoke of it again… well, he probably forgot. "Anata, what are you doing ignoring my calls?" She frowned, "you have your pet worried a great deal. At least call me. Did you go to Hokkaido?" She seemed to have a gleam in her eyes at that suggestion, "I bet you did. You went to visit with Akiko, tell her I say hello."

"You think… he went to Hokkaido, then? And he's OK?" Kagome murmured after Chiyoko hung up.

"Of course, he is the strongest in all of Japan, what could happen to him?" She mused back as she crossed her legs and leaned back into her seat, "he is a very sensitive one, though he'd never show it. He cares a great deal about you, for you to accuse him of such a crime must have hurt him a great deal. He will reappear when he has licked his wounds."

"I…" she sighed, how could she say she did not intend to do that?

"I will call Akiko," she declared as she picked up her phone again and turned the dial until she had the right numbers, "hello, Akiko, it is me… yes, I miss you as well… is Inuyasha there?... No? Huh, I was sure he was… apparently he's missing… yes, yes, I know, but his pet is worried… if he comes by will you call?... thank you, sayonara."

"No… No Inuyasha?"

"Enchantress, Hokkaido is not close, it will take him a while, and he always takes the train instead of a plane. He is probably planning to surprise Akiko," she shrugged, "leave me your number and I will call you if I hear anything."

"Are you sure—?"

"Enchantress," Chiyoko cut her off swiftly, "Inuyasha is a full blood demon and was the ambassador of Japan for over a hundred and fifty years. He is not a child. He is fine. No one I have ever come across could possibly be a threat to him."

"But… he… that Ohachi guy…"

"He hasn't any inclination to hurt Inuyasha, now scurry along," she waved her hand towards the door, "and he will appear once he feels like it. He has disappeared for years at a time, it is a very Inuyasha-trait."

"Alright," she muttered as she stood up, Inuyasha following suit, she bowed her head respectfully before they headed to the door to put back on their shoes only to be ambushed by Mimiko leaping on to Inuyasha's back and pulling on his ears.

"Hey!" He shouted as he tried to grasp the little imp that ran behind Kagome.

"Inuyasha! You never told me you used to be a half-demon!" Mimiko awed, "you and me are the same!"

"Yeah," he grunted, "sure, now get out of the way. We're leavin'."

"Kagome," Mimiko whined as she pulled on her brown jacket, "he is mean to me."

"Inuyasha," she sighed, "please be nice."

"Are you going to look for Inuyasha again?"

Kagome just shook her head, it would be useless, probably… if he didn't want to be found he wouldn't be found. It was as easy as that… probably. Mimiko just frowned and nodded, "I hope you two break up."

Her jaw dropped at that, "wh-what?"

"I wanna date Inuyasha," she squealed before she scurried off.

"He's really popular with the ladies," Kagome muttered, "you should feel special."

"I'm not him," he grunted before they left.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Fucking leave already!" Takeo demanded as he slammed his fists upon the table, his blue blazing eyes locked onto the lazily man that was staring ever so dully at him.

"I'm helping you, you should thank me," Shiro retorted as he flicked another piece of popcorn into his mouth as he rested his cheek upon his fist, ignoring the vibration of his phone in his pocket. It was probably just Kagome _again_ and he did not feel like dealing with that whatsoever. "You think this is how I want to spend my day? Instructing you on how to take over?"

"Fucking leave then!" He repeated with a deep growl, "I got this under control. Ohachi already told me all the rules about a billion times. Scat, you damn dog."

"Not happening," he muttered in the same bored tone as he took some of the popcorn and began to flick it in Takeo's direction, smacking him in right in the middle of the head—it was the first time he smirked since he got there.

"You stupid bastard!" Takeo shrieked as he stood up and stomped his feet before he mocked, "what about that little sex pistol of yours? Ain't she going to miss ya' while you are 'instructing' me?"

"She's fine," he grumbled as his gaze flickered from Takeo to the city lit night outside the window.

"Aw, relationship woes? _Now_ that explains what'cha are doing here," he chuckled as he sat back down and crossed his legs upon the table, "hiding? You screwed another woman and she caught ya'?"

"Yeah, _that_'s what happened," Shiro ridiculed, "I'm not talking about this with you. You do know you have to be able to be personable with other ambassadors, right? How many languages _can_ you speak? I know you can at least speak English but—"

"I hate the term 'ambassador' it sounds so pussy-footed, the unofficial name is _ruler_ after all and that's pretty much what we do."

"No," Shiro groaned as he slammed his head to the table, "that's… wrong. You fail. We're doomed."

"Shut the fuck up," Takeo grunted, "you want me to kick you out of here?"

"Look, your job is to keep all demons below human radar, to keep Japan and all the demons that reside here in the good grace of every other country so that we can move around boarders freely, and—"

"Whatever," he grumbled, "let's talk about you, whatever sexy woman, and that little school girl—"

"There was no other woman, nothing's wrong, back the fuck off," he growled back as he folded his arms and rested his head upon them to close his eyes.

"Oh," Takeo nodded, "that makes sense… she's a human, she figured out she could do better, eh?"

"Takeo!" He shouted as he jumped to his feet and slammed his hands upon the table _almost_ enough to break it, "how the fuck would she find better than me, huh!? I'm rich! I'm good looking! I'm strong! I'm _the_ best she'll ever have in bed! _Where_ would she find a better man than me? I never age, either!"

"Jesus Christ," Takeo cursed while he motioned for him to simmer down with his hands, "I'm just kiddin', but I hit the head on the needle, huh?"

"That's not how the saying goes," he muttered, "and just back off, Takeo."

"Well… she's a human, what do you think? That somehow through the 'mystic'," he mocked ever so heavily, "power of love will keep her alive as long as you? Huh? Why do you think it's such a stupid idea for us to get involved with them? We're _im_mortal and they are _mortal_. We live forever, they die within a century."

"Yeah, yeah, I get that," he grunted, he just hadn't figured out that part yet… he hadn't even won her over for sure yet so how was he supposed to worry about that part? There was no mystical mating ritual as much as many demons had searched for that and he probably wouldn't be able to find what others hadn't… maybe there was a way to give up immortality? He'd rather do that then kill himself after she died… no, he shook his head, he didn't need to worry about that yet. He didn't know if he _had_ her or if that stupid… koinu had won. Fuck.

"You want somethin' to drink?" Takeo inquired as he headed over to his own personal mini-bar.

"Hell yes, whatever is the strongest thing you got."

"You know," Takeo's lips curled into a rather wicked smirk, "there's always Demonic… we could go there and blow off some steam."

As much as he should say no, as much as he should be repulsed at the idea, he couldn't as he took the glass of brandy that Takeo handed him… he really shouldn't but then again, Kagome really shouldn't keep going back and forth so… "why not?"

"Fuckin' great," Takeo grinned, finally showing his fangs, "it's about time we stop pretending to be bitchy little humans for a while."

"We are demons," Shiro nodded with a 'clink' of his glass to Takeo before he downed his glass in one shot, just like Takeo did. It was about time he started to act like his boiling blood beckoned for him to.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Let's go back already," Inuyasha eagerly pleaded after he finally was allowed to change back into his usual outfit, "that guy's fine, his friends said so and everything."

"Yeah…" she sighed, Shiro was fine, he had to be, how could he _not_ be? Still… the idea of heading back to the feudal era without knowing for certain that he was alright just didn't float well with her, "I can't… when I talk to him and know he's OK I'll go. I promise."

"Keh, and how long will that be? Huh? What if he just never calls?" Inuyasha snickered as he folded his arms and sat down on her frilly pink bed, "we're just never supposed to find all the jewel shards or kill Naraku, huh?"

"Inuyasha!" She shouted even though she knew she really shouldn't—what was wrong with her? This wasn't fair, not to either of them but she… just… how was she supposed to pick? It was just cruel, was this how Inuyasha felt when he was placed between her and Kikyou? Gods, she was sorry for getting so flustered about it. She really was… but, "do you not see how I hurt my family by going to with you all the time? Did you hear what my little brother did because of what _I_ do? I never thought he'd do something like that… and my mother gets a new wrinkle every time I go through the well and my grandpa? He's going to have a heart attack or something, I just…"

His eyes faded away from her and towards the dark window, "so… what you aren't coming anymore?"

"That's not what I said," she declared as she placed her hands on her head, "I just need time to… think."

"Before that Shiro guy came along none of that was ever a problem," he gripped.

"Before Shiro came around I never noticed how much I was hurting my family," she sighed, "I… I will still come with you, Inuyasha, I have to finish what I started but…"

"You're not going to stay when it's all done," he muttered, not that he had ever really thought she would. He would never admit it but he had fantasized about the prospect a few times… just having Kagome there, always.

"I… that… later, we'll deal with that when we have to," she stated as she flopped down on her bed and closed her eyes, "I'm just really tired right now… I think I'm just going to take a really long hot bath and then go to bed. You should rest up, too, you never really get the chance to."

"Yeah, sure," he grumbled before he got up to walk out of the room. She just closed her eyes; she'd get up in a few minutes… or the next day.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"You can go back," she yawned as she stretched her arms high above her head before she sat down next to Inuyasha who was, as she thought, sitting and staring at the ruins of the well.

"And leave you here, keh, as if," he grumbled as he gave her a quick side-glance, she obviously just got up, she hadn't even bothered to change from her PJs.

"Did you eat?" she inquired with a swift change the subject.

"Yeah, your mom already gave me fish and rice, it was good, the food here's better," he muttered.

"Damn fucking straight it is," they both froze at the familiar yet rather fiery tone until the sounds of footsteps ceased right behind them. "Aw, looky here, Kagome and Inuyasha and Inuyasha and Kagome! Sitting and admiring the fucking burnt shit."

Kagome's shoulders sagged before she pressed her lips together and closed her eyes, "I was… worried about you."

"I don't really give a shit right now," he countered bitterly, "you gonna go back now, huh?"

"I was wrong," she steadily got to her feet to turn around and see Shiro there, his unrelenting rude glare on her solely, "I'm sorry… it's not fair that I accused you like that. I don't have any good reason at all, I am just really sorry," she even bowed her head to him.

"You gonna go back there?" He kept up, disregarding her and her words completely as he brushed past her and over the debris that had yet to be cleared. "You wanna jump down this little fucking rabbit hole and go to wonderland, eh?"

"Shiro…" she whispered after she had turned around to watch him as he stuffed his hands in his pocket to glare down at the damned well. "Souta set it on fire… I'm really sorry."

"I'm not, you are a goddamn moron, you know that?"

"Hey," Inuyasha finally broke in as he jumped to his feet.

"I fucked her, ya' know?" Shiro turned his molten golden gaze to Inuyasha, "three times. And that's not even the start of all we've done together or what _she's_ done for _me_."

"Shut the fuck up," Inuyasha growled as his hand inched closer and closer to his sword.

"You have your little fucking cute scene in the cabin," he lightened his shoulders some to go along with his mocking tone, "congrats, I'm the one that popped her cherry."

"Shiro!" Kagome shrieked, "what's wrong with you?"

"You are!" he bickered back, "you fucking are! If I had never met you _maybe_ I'd still be pinned to that goddamn tree and _maybe_ I'd still be a half-demon and, hell, I'd probably even be dead by now but… but fuck! I'd be happier than having to deal with you and your bullshit! How is there even a choice!? Huh?" he pointed down to the hole in the ground then up to him, "I waited five hundred miserable years! I'm the first one to say 'I love you' to you! I am! Me! Not him," he pointed over to Inuyasha, "and I can keep you alive! You go back to the feudal era and fuck… Kagome, that's it," he slashed his hand through the air, "I'm not dealing with this anymore. I'll find someone else. I swear to god I'll find someone else."

Wasn't that what she wanted…? A while ago, at least, for one of them to get so sick of her that they just put their foot down and pushed her out of their life? But… but she just shook her head and bit back a sob, she didn't want that anymore… she wanted to choice, was that selfish of her? Could Shiro be better off without her?

"Hey, Koinu!" Shiro snickered, winning a new growl from Inuyasha, "you wanna know something else, huh? About the Kagome I knew before she died? Huh?"

"Not really," he grumbled back as he advanced towards the well; ever so weary of the possibility of Shiro trying to sabotage it once more.

"Shiro," Kagome wearily whispered, knowing full well that he heard her.

"She was pregnant," he stated swiftly, "with our kid," she pointed between the two of them, "'cause whether you believe it or not we're the same fucking person."

That got all the anger to flush out of his system just like that, instead he just stared at Shiro with nothing at all upon his face, his mouth slightly ajar.

"You and me, buddy boy," he ridiculed, "failed to protect her and got both Kagome and the baby killed. Ain't that wonder-fucking-ful?"

"Shiro," Kagome called out as she stepped about the debris, trying her best to avoid the splintered wood or the nails but she failed and scabbed the back of her heel. She just grunted it back until she was able to stand beside him and grab his arm. She knew what was wrong… he wasn't sober, "Shiro—"

"I don't want to hear it from you," he growled as he yanked his arm free, "alright? You know what I had a fucking euphony last night! You aren't the same Kagome that I've been waiting for all this time, she never existed! She died all those years back! I've been waiting for a ghost!"

"Shiro!"

"No, shut up," he took a step away from her when she tried to advance.

"I'm sorry!"

"No you aren't! You aren't sorry at all or you'd choice right _fucking_ now! Him," he pointed to the still stunned half-demon, "or me. _There_ or here. And no! Kagome you don't get both, you can't just go back and forth and trade between boyfriends until your little heart can't take it anymore or fate intervenes! I'm not waiting for that! Either you stay here with me or you leave!"

Yes… that was nearly the exact opposite of what he had proclaimed to her just two days ago almost at the very spot that they stood but… but she wasn't supposed to falter, she was supposed to just stay with him, maybe convince him to let her go back through the well a few more times but she was _not_ supposed to keep up the "I love you" but "I love him, too" thing. Fine, a piece of her heart could always belong to the other Inuyasha but not _half_ of it, just a _third_ at most. And, jeez, the longer that he was around his past-self the more he hated him.

Right now…? Kagome looked between the two quickly before down to the well, right… now? Now, _now_? She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. Should she compare and contrast? Make a list of pros and cons? How could she pick one place or the other? She had unfinished business in both worlds. Maybe… maybe Shiro didn't mean it, maybe when he got sober he wouldn't make her choice but… still, that wouldn't be fair, she had to make a choice eventually, right?

Well… the well made that choice, at least, a part of it, it brightened up and glowed like never before pulling them in and through the blue mist.

Apparently, fate had other plans for the wayward lovers and fate _always_ got what it wanted.

* * *

**A/N:** I was writing this while I was suffering from both lack of sleep and a caffeine crash while I was listening to music and watching TV so sometimes when I look back to what I typed I found sentence that I was just like 'wtf? Why did I write that?' like random stuff. I wonder is that like having your subconscious coming out, hm?

I don't believe in the 'mark-a-mate-live-forever' thingy that seems to be so popular to, so sorry all who were hoping for that to be the outcome :( I just think that's kinda an easy way out of the angst of life--death.

Anyway, thank you for all the reviews, please keep them up, and I hope you continue to enjoy it.


	28. Decided

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Decided **

"How did we get here?" Kagome mumbled after Inuyasha helped pull her out of the well, her eyes wondering around to see that they were very much once more five hundred years in the past. Nothing but the open blue sky and green groves surrounded them, the burnt hut had yet to be erected, and the air was fresh.

"I don't know…" Inuyasha replied as he allowed her to lean on him some for support, his gaze glanced down to see that the back of her heel was still bleeding some, "you idiot, I told you not to walk on that stuff."

"Shut up," she whispered, had Shiro not been pulled into the well, too? Gods, wouldn't that be awful? He was already _so_ upset with her that her disappearing into the past once more would only irk him more but when she turned just slightly she saw him jump out of the well, too, and brush off his outfit. He looked about everything but at her and grunted something too low for her to catch what he said. Should she try to talk to him? Should she say how sorry she was again? But… she just couldn't choice yet, what if he asked her to do so right here and now?

"Fuck me," he grumbled lowed enough for her to catch it as he turned around finally to look at her, his eyes narrowed more and it took her just a moment to figure out why—Inuyasha's arms were sort of around her.

"Shi-Shiro," she muttered as she pushed slightly away from Inuyasha but didn't really let go of his suikan.

"Shut up," he ordered with a bit of a growl, "stay away from me!"

"But—!"

"But nothing, just do it!" He ordered before he began off into the trees.

"Shiro! Where are you going?!" Yet, there was no immediate answer and she was highly doubted there'd be any… he was _mad_. Didn't he have a right to be? Didn't they both? She slowly glanced up to Inuyasha who's own eyes were locked on the area that Shiro had vanished in, "Inuyasha… I'm…"

"It's alright," he murmured before he picked her up, "let's just go back to see everyone. Kaede can look at your heel, too."

"Inuyasha…" she whispered as she closed her eyes, she wasn't going to argue with him. He was probably right, anyway… still, she couldn't help but glance back to where Shiro had gone. He wasn't going to get lost, right? He was going to come back… right? He wasn't going to try and go through the well and return home without telling her, was he?

She guessed the better question was _could_ he. Somehow, she really doubted that… the well seemed to have a mind of its own sometimes and she got the feeling that right now it wanted them here. But… why?

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Thank you, Kaede," Kagome gleamed as she smoothed her hand over her wrapped foot, "the herbs you put on it makes it feel a lot better, too."

"I am glad to hear that, child."

"Kagome," Shippou started as he hopped onto her lap, "you're gonna stay longer this time, right?"

"I… don't think I can get through the well so I don't think I have a choice," she replied. After all, if she thought she could go home right after Kaede wrapped her ankle she wouldn't have changed out of her PJs and into a spear pair of red hakama and a white haori—it was the typical priestess outfit, and Kaede had one around that fit her just fine.

"The well has been acting very strange lately, hasn't it?" Miroku mused.

"Yep," she sighed as her eyes wondered over to the window that showed her the orange and pink fused sky… the day had passed and Shiro still hadn't shown himself, she wasn't shocked but… no, nothing bad could have happened to him. He was just pissed at her, or maybe he had gotten through the well? But would he have left her alone in Feudal Era when he was so certain that it would seal her death…?

Did he care any longer?

For some reason something sparked in her, it almost seemed to be fired from her very soul, a sudden undeniable _need_. Where had it come from? It consumed her heart, her body, her mind—they had to end it, they had to find Naraku and kill him. She shouldn't return home until that was done—but why? Where did that come from? She slowly returned her stare from the window to see Inuyasha was sitting in his usual stance in the corner not too far from her, his eyes closed, she was sure he was still trying to make sense of all that Shiro had shouted at him, she wasn't sure how to really approach the subject… particularly the last thing he mentioned, should they even talk about it? It wasn't like the current her was ever pregnant with his child or killed so… She just looked away and to Shippou who was looking up at her with pleading eyes, Sango had a tinge of sorrow to her, and Miroku looked a bit ill… it must be her conscious speaking, tell her to stop being selfish and holding her friends back from what they deserved. Sure, they could go on without her but they were too good, they would never leave her behind like that.

Miroku was dying, yet she fiddled around in her time because of her confused heart?

Sango's soul cried out for her sweet little brother, yet she couldn't be a good enough friend to put her own grief to the side and stay to help her in her search?

Shippou… didn't want her to leave him anymore; she was family to him, so why not stay a little longer?

Perhaps she'd die in the end… but was there stopping it? If she was destined to die wouldn't she no matter where she was? Why not die with meaning? To kill Naraku, complete the jewel _she_ shattered, help Sango retrieve Kohaku, and free Miroku from his curse? Yes. Yes, for sure, that was what she wanted to do… even if Shiro would hate it, even if it meant her own death… for the people she cherished like another family, she couldn't help but want to do just that.

And she would, no matter what; it was what the well wanted—wasn't it?

"I'm staying," she stated with completely certainty. That got all of them to snap out of whatever horrors their minds might have been lingering on and look to her, "I'm staying until Naraku's dead. That's that."

"Really?" Sango awed, "truly?"

"Yes, school can wait, I want to do this," she promised, "I really want this."

"What about that guy?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Shiro…" Kagome murmured as her gaze locked with the ground, "he can't stop me…" well, she was certain he could probably physically stop her but would he? She got the feeling that right now… if she told Shiro about her choice he'd just leave her but… she couldn't… deny her friend's their lives—because it was just _that_ to them. It wasn't really revenge, it would mean life for Miroku and it would reunite Sango with the only family that she had left. It would give her two friends a chance to start a family of their own, too.

"Alright," Inuyasha even smiled a bit as he closed his eyes once more. If it weren't for the fact that she knew him so well she doubted she would have been able to label that slight curl of his lips as a 'smile' at all.

"I think my foot feels a lot better now," she began meekly as she tried to stand up, there was a twinge of pain but she could walk on it well enough, "I'm going to go look for Shiro…"

"You shouldn't go around alone," Inuyasha protested, right as he was about to get up but Kagome grabbed the set of bow and arrows that were waiting around for her return before he was all the way up.

"Please stay, I won't go any farther than the well, if I can't find him then… I'll come back," she requested with a bit of a pout, she could tell he was debating over his choice a great deal before he sat back down and glanced away with a 'keh'. "Thank you, I should be back soon, hopefully."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

It took some time wondering about in the forest until she came across the Goshinboku tree, the place she first met Inuyasha… why was she not surprised to find Shiro right there? He sat with his back to the tree and his eyes closed almost as if he was sleeping but she was fairly certain he wasn't so she continued to proceed towards him until she was only a mere two or three feet away and knelt down there. He had to know she was there, if he wanted to say something he would…

The sun faded finally from the sky before he bothered to open his eyes and look over to her, she contemplated what to say yet… there was nothing. She could apologize again but what use would that be? He'd only repeat what he had said before—if she was truly sorry, why not pick already? And that's what really scared her… how could she? She should, she knew it, but she never wanted to hurt either of them and whoever she didn't choice… why was she given such power? It was cruel; really, she could break either of their hearts with only a few words, "I choice –insert name here–" and there it would be, a heart would be broken… a heart she cared ever so much about, too.

"I…" he began before he sighed and reached his hand out to her, "should maybe apologize?"

She shook her head as she took his hand, "you… you were right…"

He squeezed hers in his but made no effort to pull her into his embrace, "I… was with Takeo when you kept calling me. I just wanted to avoid you… and then we went to this place called Demonic all night and… it's designed to house or needs."

That sparked her complete interest as she looked up to his eyes, what type of _needs_ did he have met at that place?

She didn't have to ask, he knew that was what her hazels told him she was wondering, but did she even have a right to be mad at him? They were together yet she still had her little moment with his past-self in the cabin, granted, they _are_ literally the same person but that didn't make it alright to him. It was cruel, he knew it, but he remained silent for some time before he decided to reply to her unspoken question, "our _demonic_ needs, hence the name. It's really hard sometimes for me to act like I'm human when I'm not, Kagome," he gripped her hand in his some more only briefly, "I'm a demon, a _full_ demon and that part of me needs to be let out and have fun every now and then. It's hard to hold it in when I'm pissed and I _was_ really pissed."

"I'm sorry for that," she muttered.

"Yeah… I wasn't drunk this morning or anything," he knew she probably had thought that, "was I slurring my words at all?"

She shook her head as she looked away, that just made it worse… if he was so cruel—yet so right—while sober.

"It's just… I have a bad temper and after I let my demon side out all the way for a night it's hard to get it to stay in. When I saw you with him… I just snapped again."

"Oh," she nodded before looking back to him, "we didn't do anything…"

"I know, I didn't smell him on you or you on him…" he muttered as he let go of her hand, "he's probably really irked now, eh?"

"Not so much… I think he's really confused, he's been quiet."

Shiro simply nodded before he shut his eyes once more, "you changed into this eras clothes… I'm guessing that means you wanna stay here, huh?"

"I do…" she whispered, "I understand if you are mad but I have to stay. I can't just keep Miroku and Sango and everyone from their goals because of my own selfishness. I _need_ to help them, do you understand?"

"They can do it without you," he retorted with a wrinkled nose.

"No… they can't, they need my help. I'm going to stay and help them kill Naraku. I won't leave until it's done… if you are mad about that I am sorry. I know you've waited a long time to try and keep me safe but I just cannot abandon my friends. No matter what." No matter if it meant her own death.

He sighed heavily before he stood up and held out his hands for her, reluctantly she took them and let him pull her to her feet; she put all her weight on one instead of the other. Their eyes locked before he nodded and let her go, "I figured… you are difficult. Besides, they well's not working…"

"I figured," she murmured, "Shiro—"

"I refuse to let you go without me," he stated firmly as he grasped her chin to make sure she was looking him square in the eyes, "maybe with two Inuyasha protecting you, you can make it through all of this, huh?"

She smiled lightly before she placed her hands on his, "I promise, I'll make it through everything, Shiro, I'll be OK."

"I hope so," he sighed, "do you need me to carry you back to the village?"

"No it kinda hurts but I can walk on it just fine," she assured as she wiggled her foot. "Shiro… one more thing…"

"What?" he couldn't help but sigh again, he had an ever so terrible feeling about whatever was to come.

"I can't choice," she stated meekly, "will you… not make me until it is all over? When Naraku is dead I swear I'll make my choice."

He glanced away from her for a bit before he muttered something below his breath.

"I'm… not going to be too bad about it, I promise, I won't do anything with either of you. I'll be good about it… I'll try my best not to hurt—"

"Blah, blah, blah," he muttered before he placed his hand on her head and pulled it gently so she would look up at him, "that's kinda a cheap move, huh? You die and you never have to make a choice?"

He picked up on that, did he? She frowned some; she had thought she was being so clever. If she had to die she might as well get something out of it, right? Like… not having to personally break someone she loved so much's heart? "I… didn't think about that."

"Liar," he grinned, "but that's alright, fine, I'll give you that. You know, though," he let his hand slip down to her cheek as he took a step forward, "I don't mind you doing stuff with me while we look for Naraku."

"Shiro," she smiled with a bit of a laugh, "of course you wouldn't."

"Fine," he smiled right back at her, "I'll be good as long as you are."

"Will you behave? You _are_ the older Inuyasha; you _should_ at least try to be the mature one."

He rolled his eyes lightly before he shrugged his shoulders and then nodded, "I'll try my best."

"Promise?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"I…" he felt so stupid but still, "I promise."

"Thank you."

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"You shouldn't come up here," Inuyasha muttered as Kagome stumbled about to find her way to sit down next to him.

"Yeah, well…" was all she could come up with as she arranged herself properly on the roof of the hut, wrapping her arms around her knees as she pulled them to her chest. "So… Shiro's going to come with us to kill Naraku."

"Keh," he snorted.

"He's strong, he'll be helpful," she promised as she looked up to the stars, "he can't get through the well, either."

"Yeah? So you tried to get through?" He muttered as he glanced over to her.

"Nope," she honestly replied, "I just figure if he can't then I can't and I was serious when I said I won't go back until Naraku's dead."

"Maybe…" he began weakly as he looked away, "it'd… be best if you—"

"Shiro's sorry for acting like an ass," she interrupted, "he didn't mean, well, he did… but all the same, he was right when he said the Kagome he knew isn't me because… none of that stuff has happened to us, I'm still alive," she stated firmly as she looked over to him, "I'm not going to be killed by Naraku. I'm safe. You know I'm here, Shiro didn't know that the other Kagome had returned from my world so he didn't know he needed to protect her. I promise everything's going to be OK, I promise Naraku won't kill me," what a promise… it was wrong, she was sure, to make a promise that she couldn't keep for certain but she wanted to comfort him and it seemed to work because he looked back to her.

"Then what…?" he grumbled, "you are gonna go back through the well with that guy and stay?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "will you give me until Naraku is dead to decide what I want to do? I promise I'll be good," _that_ she could keep. "We'll just all be friends until the end and then I promise I'll… I'll make a definite choice."

He wrinkled his nose at the idea, "I ain't gotta be friends with that guy."

"Can't you try to get along? It'd be better if everyone got along while we went after Naraku… it's going o be hard enough without you two fighting with each other."

He grunted and looked away, "I… won't fight with him."

"Good enough," she smiled as she returned his gaze to the stars, "it's pretty tonight, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" but the stars weren't what caught his fancy, and she knew that, too.

Tomorrow, they'd leave the safety of Kaede's village. Tomorrow, they'd head out to kill Naraku. Tomorrow, they'd begin the final fight… none of them knew that on their last peaceful night sleeping under the same roof. For once, they all got a restful night; almost as if their bodies knew they needed to prep for the war that was to come…

* * *

**A/N: **I know how I want to end the story but I struggled with this chapter nevertheless. I hope you enjoyed it either way and thank you for all the reviews, it's great.


	29. Throe

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Throe**

It was an _awful_ night that would only get worse… they just couldn't grasp how much could be lost in such a short time. How bonds that took days, weeks, months, _years_ to create could be lost in one night, one attack, one strike, one wound, one… it would all be done. With the murk that lurked about them, hiding the once green covered land that was now dead and crippled, with the stench of decaying flesh and sight of blood stained dirt, they fought for their existence.

Nothing rang out but screams, the clash of bone to flesh, a golden staff to a demon's skull, the draining pull of an open wind tunnel, the release of a blazing arrow—their only true source of light next to the surges from a sword—claws cutting threw flesh, legs, and tentacles, and a loyal father's fang flinging through anything and everything that got in its way.

_One_ thought lingered below the surface of all their minds yet they could not focus on it, it was too much, it would ruin their synchronized assaults—who would die tonight?

How? How could such a terrible time start out as such a grand day? They all had a good night sleep and woke up refreshed to the smell of Kaede preparing breakfast for them before they headed out for the day. Inuyasha was mute throughout the entire day which meant that there was no fighting or shouting matches. Shiro remained equally silent for most of the day until Shippou started up about his shoes again… thankfully, he didn't punt Shippou with his 'funny' shoes like Kagome had worried about but ended up walking behind Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippou to talk with Miroku and Sango for most of the day instead.

Then… night came and that good day disappeared in a fog of miasma. There was no demon presence to alarm them, no shikon shards to warn them, just a thick haze of poison in the air to chock them. It was only then that the hordes of small and meaningless demons appeared. It took a few too many shots of Kagome's arrows to purify the air so that they could all breathe and see what they were doing but the air still was not crisp and clean, gray smog had set in to alter their surroundings—it killed the trees they fought near, the grass that was below their feet... it left their battle ground barren.

They all stuck together throughout the endless fight that was meant to only tire them, they were all sure of that. None of the small demons were enough to kill them, not even in their endless numbers.

"I sense a lot of the shikon shards!" Kagome cried out when the moon had reached its peak in the murky night sky.

Did that mean Naraku was coming, finally? Himself? To finish them all off? There was no way he'd be alone, but why now? Why all of a sudden? He'd always been a coward, why come fight them personally? Why not let them find him? Perhaps he was just too anxious to get the whole jewel finally or maybe he thought that he was finally strong enough to kill them all without a worry. Whatever his reason… he was finally there… and the final fight really began.

It was an array of actions, a hodgepodge of events, while some where fighting against whatever stronger demons Naraku brought with him the others were trading off trying to kill the beast. The two that struck at Naraku the most were the Inuyashas but neither of them ever, _ever_, let Kagome out of their sight. When one went towards Naraku, the other was with her, it was like they had an unspoken argument and it served them well.

She was safe.

"Inuyasha," Kagome began as their backs collided together, it was apparently the younger's turn to watch her and, truthfully, she did not mind at all having one by her side at all times. She wasn't as strong as her companions and there was no need to deny that, they had all been training all their lives for moments like this while she only picked up a bow and arrow for the first time a year or so ago. Not to mention, the fact that one was by her side meant he was alright, she only had to worry about the others.

Sango was almost always in sight, Miroku was _always_ by her side, and they worked flawlessly together. When she threw her weapon Miroku made sure to cover for her until it returned and then she took over so the monk could rest the best he could while still striking at the demons that were about. Kirara had Shippou upon her back as she tore through the smaller demons; he did his utmost to help with the few harmful attacks he knew.

"What?" Inuyasha grunted after he sent a series of yellow blasts out of his sword to cut through all the demons that had gathered around them.

"I'm running out of arrows," it was only naturally, she couldn't have a never-ending supply of them—though, that would have been grand—and they had been at it far too long. The moment this was all over and they were safe and well—Kagome couldn't see it ending any other way—they'd probably all collapse on the spot.

"Damn it," he cursed, "save at least three, alright? I'm sure we'll need 'em to kill Naraku."

"I'll try my best," she promised as she took a step back only to notice that he was no longer there, she spun around before she felt a tug on her torn sleeve.

"I'm here," Shiro assured her.

"How do you two do that?" she couldn't help but awe as she turned to see him, he had a few minor scratches and his fine clothes were blood stained and covered in dirt but he seemed perfectly alright otherwise.

"I don't know," he shrugged; they were just… in sync, he didn't understand it but if it kept Kagome safe then what did it matter how it worked?

"I'm running low on arrows," she confessed as her hazels wondered around the suddenly very still area around them.

"Conserve 'em."

"Yeah, that's what Inuyasha said," she sighed, "Shiro… it's really quiet…"

"Kagome, Shiro," Sango called out as her and Miroku ran up to them, "where did all the demons go? When we finished off the one we were working on… we noticed they were all… gone?"

"Maybe… Naraku doesn't have a never ending supply of demons?" Kagome questioned, it would be a comforting thought for certain.

"This…" Miroku held out his hand almost to cup the gray mist that lingered about them, "it's not miasma but it killed all the trees… I don't feel like it is affecting me but…"

"It's not poison," Shiro muttered, "at least not any type I've ever come across."

"Hey!" Shippou shouted as Kirara landed beside them all, "where'd the demons go?"

"Where's Naraku?" Sango inquired as she narrowed her gaze and glanced about.

"Where's Inuyasha…?" Kagome asked, her hazels begging Shiro for an answer.

"Naraku was this way last time I checked," Shiro pointed to the hazy north, "I can't smell anything with this stuff in the air… it really gets in the way."

"I don't have a very good feeling about all of this…" Miroku murmured as he took the slightest step closer to Sango, who matched his movement exactly.

A cry cut through the night sky, one they all knew far too well that it made all their stomachs sink—it couldn't be… could it?

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed as she ran in the direction his painful howl came from. At least, she tried, she only got two steps away from before an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against a firm body, "let me go, Shiro! Inuyasha's in trouble!"

"It's probably a trap, right?" Shiro surmised, he looked over to the ever so edgy Sango and Miroku. It was only Miroku that nodded along, it was clear that Sango's tense body and grasp upon her weapon meant she was more than ready to follow Kagome.

"I don't care! Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out as she tried her utmost to wiggle her way out of Shiro's grasp but it was no use, "Inuyasha! Say something!"

"Kagome, stay!" Shiro shouted as he flung her over to Miroku, who took her into his arms, she was a bit dizzy from the sudden jolt and thus didn't move long enough for Shiro to finish, "let me go first, OK? I'm stronger than the rest of you, I'll tell you guys if it's OK for you to follow or not, got it?"

"No! Shiro, don't go alone!" Kagome protested but Miroku's grasp proved to be too strong for her as well, "please don't go alone! What if it really is a trap?"

"I'll be fine, just wait for my signal, got it?" He only got a weak set of nods from the demon slayer and monk before he ran off where his ears could have best told him that cry of pain came from. The farther away he got the less he could see with each glance back until finally there was nothing but a thick wall of gray behind him.

Apparently, he found where all the demons had gone. What was left of them had gathered to fuse with the monstrosity that Naraku had become or swarm around him to assault the single warrior that stood—rather knelt—before him. A wicked chuckle broke out as he lifted an extremity that was shaped more like a sword than anything else to strike the final blow to the already severely wounded half-demon. With a slash of his claws he shattered the arm and jumped in front of Inuyasha all at once, "are you alright?"

"Not really," he had to admit; one hand was clenched to his gut as his other inched over to the sword that had temporarily been knocked out of his grasp. It took his weapons support but he managed to get up with a cringe and wince.

"There are demons over here but it's safe enough!" Shiro shouted out as loud as he could, hoping that was enough to summon the others to their aid.

"You have proven to be taxing," Naraku growled, "I do not know who you are or where you came from but you will die here with the rest of them!"

"Inuyasha, I think you should sit the rest of this out," Shiro stated, his golden gaze never leaving Naraku as he prepared to do whatever it was he had planned.

"Fuck that," his counterpart growled back as he barely managed to pull his hand away from his gashed gut and grasp his sword with both hands as he stepped out from behind Shiro.

"You are being a moron," Shiro growled right back, "you are going to get yourself killed."

"I'll be fine," and that was where their conversation had to cease as they split up to avoid the attack from Naraku.

The harmony the two once possessed while striking at their enemy was broken, one moved far slower than the other as they attacked Naraku from a different side each time. It appeared to almost be too much for the monster to deal with both of them at the same time, a series of chunks continued to be torn off him with a growl, grunt, or even full out cry of anguish each time.

Hiraikotsu tore through the mist then to take off Naraku's head—that was the goal, at least. He barely caught sight of it in time to knock it out of the air, too bad it was but a means to block their true assault. An arrow that blazed brighter than any before it took more than just his head as it exploded to capsize the creature.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped as she ran over to him as he fell to his knees once more, letting go of his weapon all the way to grasp at the wound that had been killing him the entire time he pranced around with Shiro to try and kill the beast. "Inuyasha, come on, we have to get that treated right away."

"Right…" he grunted the best he could as he leaned into her arms.

"I can't imagine that's it," Shiro muttered as he walked over to Sango and Miroku.

"It's not," Miroku assured as he fiddled with the beads about his wrist, "I can tell the wind tunnel is not gone…"

"How do you know if you do not open it?" Sango inquired, her eyes wondering about for her precious younger brother. If he were not here then where was it that Naraku was hiding him? As long as the devilish demon was dead, she was sure she'd be able to find him and keep him safe.

The sudden shake of the ground was a bit of an answer in itself, the demon slayer lost balance but the monk caught her as Shiro sprinted over to his younger self and the girl that held him. The sound of the ground as it broke around them consumed all of their attention as craters began to form and crumble farther and farther out, one took what was left of Naraku's body.

"We got to go," Shiro hurried as he pulled Kagome away from Inuyasha and grasped one of his arms to lug over his shoulder, "come on."

Kagome nodded fervently after she was sure Shiro had a good grasp on Inuyasha before she began towards her friends. It was too late, the ground that housed them shattered in an instant below all of their feet. If only they had not left Kirara and Shippou behind to make sure the two would stay safe they would not have fallen into the pit of darkness so surely.

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Kagome…? Kagome…" Shiro whispered over and over again as he nudged her still body, "come on, wake up. Now."

"Hn," she whined as she stirred ever so slightly, "my head…"

"Yeah, you have a pretty bad bump," he muttered as his hand floated over the bloody mess of ebony waves, "we need to try and get out of here, can you walk? Do you need me to carry you, too?"

It wasn't what she really wanted to do, actually, all her body beckoned for was her to keep her eyes tightly closed and not bother to stay awake any longer but she still pushed her palm onto the rocky ground and pried herself up. Did she have her eyes opened? Everything was so bleak… but then she could see the faint figure of Shiro right in front of her, "what… happened?"

"I don't know," he grumbled, "the ground just… broke." He helped her to her feet and watched carefully as he let go to see her wobble but manage to follow him over to where the others had land.

"Lady Kagome, are you alright?" Miroku inquired quickly.

"I think… how about you guys?"

"We will live," that was about all Sango could say, her ankle ached, the monk's back panged each time he moved but they could fight through the pain and make it through the mess, probably.

"Inuyasha?" She whispered.

"I'm alright," he grunted, he was the only one that wasn't on his feet but sat down with his back against the wall.

"He's not doing so well," Shiro whispered to her and—just as he thought—that sparked her to sprint over and kneel down to check on his wound. It was true, though, even a half-demon had his limits when it came to blood lost and Shiro was fairly certain that Inuyasha was edging far too close to it. He had tried his best to stop it by creating a makeshift bandage by ripping up his own shirt to block the bleeding, it worked better than nothing but…

"I sense a lot of the shikon shards again," Kagome sighed as she looked down the tunnel.

"And that demonic aura?" Miroku murmured, his violets locked at the endless dark tunnel before them. They all could tell it was not over, that whatever they had fought above was not the real Naraku…

"Kagome," Shiro sighed, "your bows dead."

"It broke?" She frowned, she was just barely able to pry her eyes away from Inuyasha to look at the mess that Shiro held in his hands. "What about all the arrows?"

"Two didn't break," Shiro nudged the container at his feet, "but arrows are kinda useless without the bow."

"Still… let's bring them with us."

"Nope," Shiro stated swiftly, "there's _no_ 'us', there's me and Miroku, the rest of you are staying."

"What?!" Sango shouted.

"It would be best if you stayed behind with Lady Kagome and Inuyasha," Miroku assured as he slowly stepped away from the fuming female.

"No! I refuse to stay behind!"

"Shiro! You'll need my help!" Kagome protested.

"Nope, you aren't helpful without a bow," he hated to say that and see her wince at his words but… her safety came before her feelings, "and Inuyasha too banged up to be anything but a burden."

"Fuck that, I'm coming," Inuyasha growled as he used his sheathed sword to get to his feet.

"No, Inuyasha, Shiro's right, you need to stay behind," Kagome countered as she pulled on his hakama, "please?"

"No, not after all of this, I refuse to stay behind, I'll be fine," Inuyasha assured.

"If Inuyasha's not staying I'm not staying," Sango stated firmly as she crossed her arms and stared her fiery mahogany eyes straight at Miroku.

"If they aren't staying… I'm not staying," Kagome meekly mumbled as she got up with bent brows as she looked at nothing but Inuyasha. He was trying his best to pretend as if his gashed gut was nothing but she could tell that took a great deal of effort… she had always worried his stubbornness would been the death of him.

"You _can't_ come you moron," Shiro growled to Inuyasha, "you are going to get yourself killed!"

"You can't make me stay!"

"Watch—!" But his threat couldn't be finished before everything around them started to shake again. It was a narrowed space that they were forced to fight in but they made the best of it as demons came at them from all sides—above, behind, in front. Kagome was kept in the middle of all of them since she hadn't a real means to protect herself.

It happened in one second. _One_ second, it took only _one_ strike from a tentacle that was as sharp as any sword… it shot out from the horde of demons, marring most of them even, as it sped straight to kill one of the five.

It was instantaneous, it was cruel, it caused the most heart piercing cry from a pair of parched lips as the girl from the future fell to her knees.

Their companion, their friend, someone they all loved dearly, lurched forward as the tentacle was retracted from his chest. His eyes no longer shimmering with spunk and stubbornness that they always had in them but glazed over with death as he fell forward in a pool of his own blood… there, in the darkness pit, against cold, crude, rocks as his loyal comrades fought for their lives against the monster they all longed to kill… Inuyasha died.

* * *

**A/N:** I troubles with this chapters as well, I knew exactly what I wanted to happen but I'm just not good at fighting scenes. I hope you still enjoyed it and please continue to review.

Thank you for reading.


	30. Terminated

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Terminated  
Note: **_Half of this will be in first-person POV, you've been warned._

"No!" Kagome cried out again as she crawled over to the far too still Inuyasha. He was… was Inuyasha! He couldn't just stay down like, no matter what happened he got up after an attack, he… he had to be OK. She could feel the tears drip down from her eyes but she couldn't register them. Her hand simply shook as she reached out to touch his cheek that was warm, it was _warm_ he couldn't be dead, "Inuyasha, you have to get up. You have to get up now… come on, you have to get up."

But no matter how much she shoved his shoulders he wouldn't budge, her haori had been dirtied throughout the fight but nothing soaked it like his blood… the blood that wouldn't stop pooling around him. "Get up, Inuyasha!"

"Kagome," Shiro whispered as he grabbed one of her arms, "stop, he's gone. You have to stay behind me."

"He's not gone!" She screamed back as she tried to pry her arm out of his hands as she gripped his red suikan in her hands as if she were to let it go then… then he would disappear, then he'd really be… "Inuyasha! Inuyasha!"

That malice filled chuckle they all knew far too well broke out, stilling the demons that were still trying their utmost to kill the now four fighters that slowly formed another circle around their weaken companion and fallen friend.

"One down, four to go," Naraku gloated, "how does it feel? The fucking half-breed is dead finally."

"You monster!" Kagome shouted with all the power she had as Shiro wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace but it didn't stop her shaking body or the tears that refused to cease, "we're going to kill you! You coward! You pathetic monster! You can't even fight us yourself! You have to use all these damn demons to shield yourself! You have no power! You are nothing with the shikon shards! You disgusting half-_human_! You are such scum! Kikyou should have killed you when you were a human! She shouldn't have spared you! You're too _pathetic_!"

It were her final series of words that struck anger in the beast and summoned his growl as he parted the demons to enter into sight, his arm still stained with the dead half-demon's blood as he struck at Kagome. Shiro leaped out of the way for the attack to only strike against the wall, "take her," he requested as he set her down next to Sango, "make sure nothing happens to her."

"I promise," Sango nodded as she pried her mournful mahoganies away from their friend that… that just couldn't be dead. It was Inuyasha, he was so stubborn, so resilient, he always made his way through a battle but… but this time he wouldn't? No… no, it just couldn't be, she looked to Miroku who's grasp on his staff had tightened. Sorrow was not what consumed her beloved monk, _anger_ coursed through his veins as his violent violets moved from his closest friend's deceased body to the hell bound demon that had already taken too much from him.

He refused to stay behind and Shiro openly welcomed the aid, though no words were really spared as they headed towards the demon. Shiro paused only long enough beside his past-self to steal the sword from his lifeless hands—it was the most chilling thing he had ever come across to see one's self lying there dead… he didn't dare wonder how he was still there when he was also lying their dead. He just took the sword in both hands and hoped desperately that it would convert for him. Years, decades, had passed since he unsheathed the very same sword he kept at home… it had been longer since the sword transformed for him.

Who knew why but as he charged at the grinning demon the Tessaiga glowed as it grew in size, it had been too long though for him to summon up all its power as he struck at the demon. It was sharp, though, and that's all that mattered as he danced around with Naraku and the monk. The demons that had been stalled by their master were brought back to action most focusing on those who tried to kill their leader but some still tried to destroy the girls—as if that was going to happen when they were so angry.

Neither of the combatants truly noticed that the harder they fought and leaped around the farther they were separated from the women they loved dearly. All that mattered in that moment was the demon in front of them that they _would_ kill, the demon that struck at the full-demon and hit him right in the gut as he worded off some of the smaller demons. It only got a grunt of him, he had far worse. It took one turn to chop off the evil extremity that had killed his younger-self.

A smaller demon ripped through his shoulder as he cut off one of the legs of Naraku and Miroku opened his wind tunnel to suck away some of the cretins that got in their way. A surge struck Shiro in the side before he was able to let out of his own from his sword to tear at the nuisance that had ruined all of their lives time after time.

It was an endless mingling of blood, flesh, claws, fangs, bursts of power, and opened voids that consumed them as their female counterparts fought with the smaller demon. Sango had spared a sword to Kagome, only a few times though had she ever had time to teach her friend how to use the katana properly but it seemed to work well enough to protect her. After all, a broken heart and throbbing anger was always the best source of energy. Strike after strike they tore through the demons… she tried her best not to look over to the body of the man she loved…

He shouldn't be dead. She should.

Tears blurred her vision but Sango knew of her friends disadvantage and never once allowed a demon to take advantage of that.

"We have to get to them," Kagome choked as she felt wood tap against her heel, "I have an idea."

"OK," Sango whispered as she took a deep breath and threw her weapon—which had served them well as shield—to create a temporary tunnel for them to run through. She grasped the weapon that was on its way of returning to her just in time to block an assault from her right as Kagome continued forward, "wait!"

But she wouldn't listen as she felt a set of claws tear through her shoulder, it didn't matter, she'd feel the pain later as she grasped the arrow she had picked up in her hand as if it was the key to her own life. She saw Shiro get hit by a direct attack from Naraku right before he returned the favor, Miroku was dealing with the minor demons.

It was her chance, all were far too consumed with what was going on with themselves to notice a she ran and ran with all her might. She jumped then, stepping on a smaller demon to leap higher then grasped the arrow in both her hands—she'd do it, this would be the end.

She had to make this the end…

With all her ache she summoned every bit of power that was within her soul—from every single space, even the deepest—and slammed the arrow down right where the mass of shards were placed within Naraku. A painstaking cry echoed about, shaking the stone that was about them.

That was it… she had done it. The demon's heart was gone, the shards were expelled from his body. He finally perished for all the sins he committed. Not a single soul cried for him.

"Bastard," Kagome whispered below her breath as she fell to the ground with no grace whatsoever she only lingered there a moment as she heard the wind tunnel that Miroku had opened to suck up all the little demons die down, she slowly looked up to see him marvel at his hand.

That meant… she had done it.

"Kagome…" Shiro muttered but she didn't wait for him to come help her up, she pushed herself off the ground and sprinted back to fall to her knees next to her… almost lover. Her sobs were stuck in her throat as she fell down upon his back and grasped his red suikan into hand. The suikan that had protected her so much… why couldn't it this time?

Now, she let her tears and shaking sobs take her fully. "Inuyasha… no… no…" he couldn't be dead. No. She'd rather it be her. She never thought… he'd be the one to die. He was just so… divine almost, so unstoppable that who would have thought he could ever die?

She could hear footsteps beside her, she knew without bothering to pry herself away that it was Shiro. She was fine, the only blood of hers he could smell was a minor amount. Her head was bashed but she'd live, her shoulder would scab but she would be fine. That's… all that mattered as he fell to his knee and grabbed at his gut that had been gashed far deeper than he originally thought.

Maybe… fate had changed its mind; maybe it would just accept his death instead of hers. He could live with that… he could die happily with that knowledge as his shoulder slammed against the cold stone.

That sound forced her to weakly look away from Inuyasha and look over to Shiro as… no, his own blood began to flow out of him and mix with his former self's pool of drying red liquid.

"Sh… Shiro…?" she muttered as she turned away from Inuyasha to crawl over to him and pull his limp body into her arms. No.

No.

No.

It was _not_ fair. No. No. Not both of them… no. She was wrong to run back and forth between the two but she did _not_ deserve to live without both of them. "No…" she shook her head fervently as she held him tighter, "Shiro, you're going to be OK? Right? You are just sort of hurt, right? We're going to get out of this mess and I'm going to nurse you back to health. You are going to be OK."

He loved to hear her shaky confidence as she pressed her lips upon his forehead, "yeah… I'll be fine."

What a lie, how could she believe his meek murmur? She swallowed heavily as a set of footsteps headed towards them.

"Shiro?" Miroku inquired as he knelt down next to Kagome for more reasons than one—his wounds, his sorrow, his exhaustion.

"This isn't…" Sango whispered as she knelt behind Miroku and leaned her head against Miroku's back as she grasped at his purple clothe. Miroku let his now freed hand wonder behind his back and open so Sango could drop the large fragment of the shikon jewel that they had retrieved from Naraku's quickly decaying body and the rest of the shards that Sango had kept with her as Kagome was away.

"Lady Kagome," Miroku mumbled as he handed her the fragments that she barely allowed herself to let go of Shiro with one hand and take. She clasped them in her hand and in an instant they purified and became whole for the first time in so long… she held it to her heart as she felt Shiro rest his head against her shoulder.

Could she use it to bring Inuyasha back and kept Shiro alive or… or would that be a selfish wish? Would that taint the jewel even if she made the wish? Something in her soul said it would be but… but she'd ignore it, she'd make it anyway but again that pang pulsed through her…

_Don't._

She would anyway.

_Don't._

She refused, she had to, _how_ could she go on without them? She might end up choosing one over the other if she must but she couldn't let either die.

_Don't._

She clasped the whole jewel in hand once more as she closed her eyes, preparing herself for what she had to do but… then she felt Shiro's hand grasp around hers. She opened her hazels to meet with his dulling golden gaze.

"Don't," he repeated what the voice told her… "not for me at least."

"What?" She whispered but he had such… surreal peace on his face even in his dying moments, how?

"I love you," he stated sincerely, "this is better than last time… this is time we get to say goodbye. I never got to before… I'm fine with this. I've lived long enough. You're alive; you'll live on… that's all that matters. I've already used the shikon once anyway…"

"No, this is _not_ OK," she countered, blinking away the tears in her eyes, "please, _please_…"

"No, Kagome," he lifted his hand from her hand to cup her face and stroke the stream that was clearing a path down her dirt and blood covered cheek. "Bring him back if you want, be with him… that's what supposed to happen."

"No," she whined as she pressed her lips to his forehead to mumbled against his skin, "please… Shiro… I can't let you die when I can stop it."

"_You_ can't," he coughed deeply, a drip of blood moved down his lips. "Only…" he sucked in some air, "the shikon can. Just… use it on him."

She pressed her lips so tightly together that they became white for a bit as she nodded, she… loved him. If she loved someone shouldn't she allow them to go if they wanted to…? She closed her eyes as she nodded to him again. "Shiro…"

"It's OK," he whispered as he relaxed in her embrace. He was truly alright for with this… who wouldn't want to die in the arms of the one they lived? After all, wouldn't she use the shikon to bring Inuyasha back and then… she wouldn't be alone. She wouldn't have to be torn between the choice of which to stay with—shouldn't it be him? The one that lied dead beside them? Yes… he was certain of that. His Kagome had died… and now he'd join her in whatever was hidden in the unknown void of death.

"Shiro," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him, clenching the shikon in her hand tighter and she hugged him like there would be no tomorrow because… there would be no tomorrow, not for them. "Let's make a promise, OK?"

"Sure, anything," he tried his best to hide the pain in his voice but she heard it and let her embrace go a bit more.

"Let's…" she paused for a bit, what should it be? She felt like it was right to say that… as she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his something just came out, in a calm, flowing, lull, "that this won't be the end. That we'll never have an end… no matter what. We'll find each other again, and again, and again, in every life."

"In another life we'll be together again," he assured. He wanted that. Their souls to find each other life after life, no matter what, so they could _always_ be together, she pulled away only a bit and he gave her the weakest smile as he nodded, "I promise."

"I promise, too," she didn't know how that would happened, she didn't know how to keep her promise, but it didn't matter. She would. They kissed, one last time before he stolen away by the afterlife.

She gasped for air as she tried her utmost to pull herself together and keep the tears at bay as she lied Shiro down, she could linger there for a bit and look down at the man she loved so dearly… more than the other Inuyasha? In one way, yes, yes _very_ much more but in another—in an innocent way—she loved the one who was far too still behind her.

She took another breath, affirming that somehow fate had let her go, that she was alive as she pulled her hands together and pressed them to her heart as she closed her eyes. There was no '_don't_' that told her not to make her wish…

{xoxoxoxoxo}

_**~ Months Later ~**_

I can't say I really counted the months that have passed since that dreadful day… night? It was dawn, when the sun finally found a way to raise up from the other side of the world slowly but it was not yet day, most of the sky was still tainted with darkness, but it was not truly night, either, since the rays from the sun combat against the vial that fought so hard not to vanish from the sky.

In school I learned about the Maya's and their thoughts on the sun, I can't help but think about that each and every day as I sit and watch the sun rise. They believed that the sun went on a journey each time it disappeared from the sky, that there was actually a chance that it would not raise the next day. It would leave their sight to fight its way through the underworld, I can relate to them and their mild dread that every day might be their last. I… I want to cry every time I see that sight. I don't know why I'm still alive… I don't know what reason I have for being here.

The well is still sealed, I try each day to go through it but I can't. Am I meant to just stay here? _Why_? What is there here for me? Nothing… yes, nothing. I pressed my lips together as I blinked away the terrible tinge that I knew so well now. I don't mean to cry so much but… my heart aches so badly. Is this how Shiro thought felt each day after I died? Well… the other Kagome? I can't imagine how he was able to go through five hundred years of this misery. No wonder he asked Chiyoko to erase me from his memories…

Chiyoko, Akiko, Mimiko… they must all wonder where he is. I wish that I could get back through the well to tell them… didn't Chiyoko once tell me that Shiro could vanish or a year and it would be normal? Would they… think that he was OK? How long would it take before they realized that they'd never see their beloved friend again… I'm sorry, Chiyoko, he's not coming back… It's my fault. I should have been the one to die.

Is that selfish of me? To wish that I had been in their place? Then one of them or _both_ could feel this pain instead of me?

The shikon jewel was gone… it was gone when I opened my hands and in all these months I have not sensed it once.

Since it was gone… it meant that I couldn't make my wish that I couldn't bring him back. I wanted to, so badly, I wanted to spend the rest of my life in the feudal era with him. I would have happily done that but… he gone, he's been gone all this time.

My days were consistently the same, I woke up before dawn, I walked to their graves and watched as the sun rose, my knees tightly grasped to my chest as I looked from the glare in the sky down to the two graves for the same man… one for Shiro, the other for Inuyasha. I loved them both. Why could I have one? Why couldn't we be together?

I sighed as I got up and headed back to the village for breakfast, if I wasn't there in time to help prepare the meal Sango would come looking for me frantically. Did she think that I'd do something silly and hurt myself? Of course not. Never, I would _never ever_ do that when those who I loved most had saved me. One man I cherished desperately had waited five hundred years to make sure I lived. Another man that had enchanted my heart had protected me and been hurt time after time to make sure I lived to see the next day even if he might not. I could never give up life; though it is painful it is precious and I refuse to give up on it.

"Good morning, Sango," I greeted with my joyful smile, the one I put on just for my dearest friends. She knew it was fake, but she smiled the same back to me.

"Kagome," she whispered as she motioned for me to come closer, I suppose she didn't want to wake Shippou or Kirara. I knew it would deeply scar Shippou to hear that Inuyasha would not come back… I don't think Shippou ever felt like Inuyasha was a father or anything but they were like… brothers, constantly bickering brothers. Inuyasha was the oldest one, just _barely_, but he protected Shippou… he cried almost more than me but I was perfectly fine holding Shippou as we both sobbed our hearts out. He's given up on tears though and seemingly moved on to play with the local children, he's been talking about going to take some demon exercise to become a full blown, powerful, demon. I'm happy for him.

"Yes?" I hushed back as I leaned over to her.

She paused some before her smile widened almost too much, "I'm… I'm," she grinned more as she pressed her hands together, "with child. Miroku and I will soon have a family."

"Sango!" I gasped; I couldn't help but hug her tightly and giggle with her. Quite possibly the greatest moment the entire time I was stuck in the past was when Miroku and Sango had their little but _beautiful_ ceremony. I couldn't help but envy them though… they would be husband and wife when I never would… why would I bother if I could not be with the only person I ever loved—future or past part of him? Now they get to have children together like Inuyasha and I never would… though, we were sort of supposed to, at least in Shiro's time…

Kohaku was found, too, quickly after Naraku's death and happy to rejoin Sango, he was at the ceremony, too, and even cried for his sister. It was precious… it made me miss my little brother…

I miss my family. I want them to know I'm OK. They must be so worried…

"I want them to know I'm OK," I whispered to the twin stone symbols once more, I visit this countless times and grasp at the ground that now sprouted grass. How can life come from a place that marked death? I bit my lips together as I closed my eyes, "I really want to see my mother again… my grandpa, my brother, everyone… I miss them. I miss Ayumi, Eri," I smiled lightly, "I even sort of miss Hojo. I miss everyone…"

Always, always, I wanted for a reply but there never was one… sometimes I'd close my eyes and feel the wind brush against my cheek almost as if someone was trying to whip my tears away and I'd smile. I don't know if it's him—when they are gone, they're the same soul, right?—but it gives me comfort. I want to believe it is them.

"I love you," I whispered as I dragged my fingertips across the top of the ground, "I miss you, too."

Then a cry split through the valley I sat in, the birds fluttered about from the trees that weren't too far away.

What was wrong? I had to leap up and run towards the village as fast as my legs could take me.

A demon! A demon was attack the village—no! This was the worst time possible! I rushed to the hut that I resided in with Kaede to get my bow and arrows. Miroku was away at the next village over helping them with a minor demon problem, so he could get rice and other necessities for the family that Sango had blissfully told him they were about to form. Even as I ran out to face the demon I smiled at the thought of Miroku flipping out when he found out he would _finally_ be a father. I can't imagine how happy he would be… truly, I couldn't.

I prepared an arrow and shot it out at the demon, killing it on contact.

Well… that was easier than I thought. "Sango!" I shouted as I ran towards her, "you shouldn't be doing this!"

"I know," she muttered with a frown, I bet it's really hard for her to put away her demon slaying material and let others protect her. She wasn't showing yet, so I guess if she's going to pretend to still be a slayer now's better than latter.

"Kagome!" Sango gasped as she threw her weapon towards another demon that was crawling its way over to us. It struck it and killed it but not its final comrade that lurched towards us.

It was so close… to close. I couldn't shot an arrow in time to save Sango. I couldn't… save Sango.

_No_. I could. I will. I jumped in front of the attack and took it for my friend that could have a family, would have a family… I couldn't breath as the demon pierced through my chest but… I wouldn't go down without a fight; I grasped the demon with my final strength and let out all the power I had left.

As I fell to my knees I and to the side, feeling the warmth flow out of my with my blood, I could see the demon fade to nothing. I could hear Sango cry out my name but at the same time I couldn't really…

"Don't… feel… bad…" I managed before I coughed up blood.

It's just my time to go… In the end, my soul expired for this lifetime... I was destined to die young. There really is no changing the thread of fate and I don't think I'd have it any other way.

_I'm sorry Inuyasha..._ was my final thought as I closed my eyes and let my lips curl into a smile.

* * *

**A/N: **Anyone who has read my other stories probably can guess how hard it has been for me to not just randomly go into first-person POV. I couldn't take it anymore, sorry, I just _had_ to do it.

I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far and continue to review. And yes, the story is not done, there is _**one**_ more chapter left.

By the way, I edited this chapter and then when I pressed the 'save' button it told me I needed to re-log in so I was super pissed and only fixed a few things before I posted it. I'll come back to it later and fix it... probably.


	31. Time

**Deceitful Time  
Chapter Thirty: Time**

Time flows on after each and every death, no matter how cruel it might seem. It will never stop for one person, it will never bend to break the finely threaded chain of events that fate has so masterfully woven.

Her will would be granted by the jewel and the purity of it had vanquished the object that had caused so much heart ache and ruined far too many lives to vanish into the air even though she did not know it. She would never really know it, a part of her soul would always smile, but her mind would never appreciate that the wish she had made from the depth of her heart would be fulfilled, over and over again.

That she would find happiness over and over again and though she'd never be truly aware of that fact a part of her would always know it, through whatever troubles her other lives would bring her... she'd always have one thing to look forward to, one thing her soul beckoned for even when she was but a child, one thing that she knew she was always in search of but just couldn't seem to find…

And he, too, would share the same fate. It could give them that much, after all it had done to their souls—the sorrows it gave them not just once but twice—well… even fate knew they deserved peace. His soul would always whisper to him, no matter how young he was, that there was something out there that he needed to find. It would taunt him as he tried to sleep, it would urge him to do one thing over the other all so they would follow the proper path. All so they would finally reunite, so many decades after their deaths…

{xoxoxoxoxo}

"Amane!" An all too familiar cry called out for her, with a heavy sigh she blow some of her black bangs out of her face and removed her hazels from the well that they were so intently locked to. It was just so… odd, they had only been in Tokyo a few days but as soon as they passed the stairs to this shrine she knew she had to rush up the stairs and see it. Then the rebuilt hut whispered for her to open the door and see a stone well at the bottom of the stairs. Without knowing it she walked down the stairs and lingered there, just staring down at it… what was it?

"I'll be right there!" She shouted to her father before she took one last look at the well… it was right but wrong at the same time, how could that be? "Oh well," she whispered to herself with a shrug before she skipped up the stairs to see that her parents had come in search of her, she smiled broadly at them. Her parents… they were great.

"Tokyo's far too big," her mother fretted as she raised one of her hands to her lips and looked around at the home of the shrine keepers, "and your sense of direction has never been good, Amane, I am so afraid you will get lost all the time…"

"Mom," Amane laughed as she pulled out her ever so slim phone, "that's why everyone has GPS on the phone, don't worry."

"Can I help you?" A rather deep voice inquired as a man in his late thirties to mind-forties walked out of the house.

"Oh, no," her father replied as he sighed, "my daughter just saw the shrine from the street and couldn't help but run up to see it. I'm afraid she's obsessed with history like that…"

"Don't worry about it," the man chuckled before her eyes landed on Amane and for a moment his face went blank… there was something… something about the girl that seemed so… what?

"I'm sorry?" Amane murmured as she placed her hand on her face to check to see if there was anything on there, perhaps some food from the restaurant her and her parents had just left from?

"No, I am," he replied with the most sincere smile, "you just… look a lot like my older sister did when she was your age."

"Oh," Amane nodded as she smiled back to him, "I'll take that as a complement, then."

"You should," he assured, "she was a great woman."

_Was_, Amane couldn't help but catch… that's all it took to falter her smile, "I'm Ito Amane," she bowed her head lightly, "thank you for letting me see your family's shrine."

"You are welcome here anytime," he assured with a nod of his head, "I'm Higurashi Souta."

"It's nice to meet you," she countered as her eyes moved to the door of as the most adorable little girl skipped out of the house to grab at her father's leg, her big brown eyes staring up at her father as she fumbled through telling him that dinner was ready and that her brothers had gone to get grandma.

"Ah," Souta nodded as he picked up the little girl, "thank you, Kagome."

Kagome… that name sparked something in her but she couldn't put her finger on it as the Itos parted ways from Souta and his daughter with another smile and a heartfelt goodbye… she'd be returning to the shrine, week after week, and become very acquainted with the family there, she just didn't know it yet but at the very same time she did...

Again, her mother let out a small sigh as they entered Tokyo University's campus.

"Mom," she dragged out, "I'll be fine!"

"I know," her mother murmured, "but it's just so sad," her voice cracked as she blinked away tears, "our only child going off to college so far away from home…"

"I'll come visit _all_ the time, every break, I promise," Amane assured.

"Yes, Misami," her father beckoned as he patted his wife on the shoulders, "this is a proud day for the Ito family! Our child got into the top university if all of Japan. I am so proud you, Amane!"

"Thank you, daddy," she giggled as he hugged her, an ever so rare feat.

"Well… we've already set you up in your dorm," he couldn't help but blink away the mild wetness that had began to threaten his eyes, "your mother and me won't be leaving the hotel until Tuesday so if you need anything you can reach us there."

"Don't worry about me," Amane smiled as she shook her dad's arm, "I'll be perfectly fine. You'll always just be a phone call away, right?"

"Right," he nodded with his stern voice, "you take care now, Amane, you are a woman now."

"Thanks dad," she laughed again before she kissed him on the cheek and hugged her almost bawling mother ever so tightly before she waved to them and watched them walk away.

She couldn't help but let out a little squeal when they were finally gone and jump a bit, _finally_, after eighteen long years she'd be living on her own in Tokyo like she had always dreamed! She sighed contently to herself as she began on a small stroll of campus before she'd head back and make friends with her mahogany eyed roommate who's name escaped her at the moment. She was sure she'd become good friends with the girl, after all, they were roommates, right?

That was when she felt a thud upon her head, "ow," she muttered as she reached one hand up to the top of her head to rub the assaulted spot and bent down to pick up the phone that had dropped upon her. "What the…?"

"Hey, can you give me that back?" She jumped from the rather rude voice as she looked around… there was no one there…? "Up here, moron!"

She clenched her teeth as she looked up to see a boy sitting in the tree, one hand grasping a branch to support him as the other reached out to take back what was his. "What are you doing up in a tree?" She ridiculed as she held his phone away from, "dropping things on people without even saying sorry, how awful! Apologize, now!"

"You shouldn't have been walking there," he protested stubbornly as he narrowed his auburn eyes with just a _hint_ of amber on her.

"What's with the hair?" She grumbled as she, too, narrowed her hazel gaze upon the boy that had dyed his hair silver.

"It's a fashion statement," he growled back, "now give me the goddamn phone, woman!"

"No," she turned her cheek, "not until you apologize for your rudeness!"

She could hear another deep throated growl from the boy but refused to alter her stance whatsoever, how hard was it to say 'sorry' anyway?

"Don't make me come down there," he warned.

She gasped as she looked back up at him with an opened mouth, "are you threatening me now? How much worse can you get! You demon!" He just kept his molten gaze upon her until she reached her hand to grasp his, "if it's so scary then why don't you come down here, huh? Instead of sitting up in that tree like some sort of weirdo!"

"Let me go!" He protested as he pulled just as she did.

"No! You rude boy!" She yanked with all her might and won the tug-of-war match; if only she had thought it through though… then she would have known that she was prying him from the tree only for him to fall right on top of her. A groan escaped her glossy lips after she was slammed to the ground with and ever so hard thud.

"Damn, woman, are you stupid?" He accused as he pushed himself off of the ground to hover above her.

It was then, when their eyes met, when their bodies were so close, that something pulsed through the both of them… something that they couldn't put their fingers on exactly but their souls stopped for the first time from silently yearning for something… did they finally find that thing that they had always been looking for? Though, they'd never talk about it aloud, they'd never admit it even to their own family, but every choice they ever made was to come to this moment…

And it was for such a rude boy and stupid girl?

"Keh," he spat out with reddened cheeks as he got off of her, "I…" he obviously had trouble talking as he closed his eyes and held out his hand to help her up, "guess… I shouldn't have let my phone slip from my pocket and drop on your head."

Was that really the closest she'd get to an apology? She couldn't help but pout a little as she took his hand and let him pull her to her feet, again their eyes met. It seemed… right, so very right to have their hands grasped like that.

"I'm… Ito Amane, I'll be a freshman this year," she confessed without really thinking about it.

"I'm… Inoue Shiro, I'm gonna be a freshman, too," he replied. "Um," he started meekly after their hands parted and he tucked his securely in his pockets, "are you heading back to the dorms?"

"Yep," she nodded, "are you?"

"Yeah… I'll walk you…?"

"Sure," she swiftly stated with a smile as she opened his phone and dialed in a set of numbers ever so quickly, "that's my number, OK?"

"Alright," he smiled back as he took his phone before they headed off towards the dorms and a brand new life together… they hadn't any idea then that they'd be college sweethearts, that they'd journey to the shrine the Higurashi's took care of together once a week, they hadn't planned the wedding that would take place at there or picked out the names of the three children they would have together, they didn't know that they'd live a long and joyful life together only to die old and merry in the house they'd buy, silently in their sleep together with fingers interlaced but… they had an idea of what might come and that's all it took to spark what fate had set in motion.

Their souls had paid the debt they did not know they carried, that they really hadn't any reason to have been thrown in and now forever more they would find each other to live a long and loving life together, over and over again…

Just like they had promised one another all those years back… just like they had wished for upon the shikon jewel…

Amane couldn't help but let her smile grow as she looked over to the boy beside, was this what they called love at first sight? She had never really been one to believe in it but then again she obviously hadn't met the right person yet... even though she was a pretty girl and she was told so often by her family and friends, she had never had a boyfriend in all eighteen years of her existence. She had never felt that click with someone and what was the point of a relationship if their was no chemistry? Even if all her friends constantly pestered her about how terrible it would be for her to go to college in Tokyo as a virgin...

"Eh," she sputtered as she jumped, what was it that just brushed against her bum?

"Minoru!" Shiro shouted as he leaped in between her and the perpetrator, pushing them far away from each other, "you perv!"

"I am very sorry," the violet eyed boy with short black hair and golden earrings apologized with a sincere smile and nod of his head.

Amane was... speechless, in all her yeas no one had ever done _that_ to her either.

"I'm afraid I have a cursed hand," he sighed as he wiggled the thing around.

"Stop saying shit like that," Shiro growled, "you're just a perv."

"No, it's true, it's been passed down to the first born male in my family for generations upon generations!" Minoru protested with the greatest of grins, "it can be traced back all the way to the feudal era and my great ancestor--"

"You are so full of shit," Shiro groaned, "sorry about him, Amane... Amane, Minoru. Minoru, Amane." He nodded back and forth between the boy to his left and girl to his right, "he's my roommate. I've only known him for a few days but apparently if you let him he'll go on and on about his ancestors and blah blah blah."

"Shiro, you are an ass," Minoru sighed with a shake of his as he bypassed his roommate to take Amane's hand and kiss it, "it's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Amane."

"Back off, Minoru," Shiro warned as he pulled his friend away from her, "leave her alone."

"Alright, alright, she's yours, I understand," Minoru assured as he raised his hands in defeat.

She couldn't help but laugh as she nodded to Minoru, "are you a freshman as well?"

"Yes, I am, I'm a religious studies major. I had originally planned to go to a monastery and become a monk, it's been a tradition in my family for--"

"We get it," Shiro grunted.

"Why didn't you?" Amane inquired as she held her hands behind her back, somehow being around the two of them seemed... perfect.

"I realized I enjoyed sex far too much," he laughed.

"At least your honest," she giggled, "Shiro, what's your major? Being a monkey?"

"What?" he muttered with narrowed eyes.

"Who climbs in trees but monkeys? Oh, squirrels!" She gleamed.

"He was doing that again?" Minoru awed as he leaned forward to see Amane, "you are so strange, Shiro."

"Shut up," he barked, "so sue me, I like nature."

"So...?" Amane dragged out, "what's your major?"

"I'm engineering, what about you?"

"Engineering?" She awed, "that means you have to be smart and like to build stuff, huh?"

"I like to blow stuff up," he countered with a smirk, winning another laugh from her.

"I'm folklore and history with a biology minor," she declared.

"That sounds like a lot of work," Minoru dragged out, "I have a feeling you got straight As throughout high school and were an overachiever all your life?"

"How else do you get into Tokyo U?" She questioned with the most innocent of expressions, Minoru only laughed again and mentioned something about family money being his key.

"What the hell are you going to do with that?" Shiro snickered.

"Become a doctor," she gloated.

"How the hell are you going to do that with a folklore major?"

"Shiro," Minoru nudged him harshly with his elbow, "that's great, doctors make a lot of money."

"It's not the money," Amane mused as she looked up to the setting sun, "I've just always liked to help people... and, for your information, Shiro," she snapped as she glared at him, "medical schools love an applicant that majors in something besides sciences yet still manages to fulfill all the requirements they have to apply."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," he grunted as he opened the door for them to walk into one of the dorms.

"I don't feel like retiring yet, the night is still so young," Minoru complained as they started up the stairs.

"We can get my roommate and then head out to do something, do you guys know Tokyo well?"

"I grew up here," Minoru nodded.

"I'm from Kyoto," Shiro shrugged, "but my dad lives in the Shibuya district so I've spent most of my summers here."

"Oh," Amane muttered as she found her key to her door, "hello, roomie, I brought some new friends, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," the brunet replied as she slid off of her desk, "this is my friend, Kira," she said as she nodded to the blonde haired blue eyed girl.

"This is Minoru and Shiro, we're going out to do something fun... we're not sure what yet but would you like to come with?"

"Sure," she smiled, "I'm San, by the way."

"San, what a simple yet beautiful name," Minoru mused as he took one of her hands only to get slapped in the face for his wondering one.

"Perv," she growled.

"This is going to be amusing," Amane mumbled to Shiro, who just chuckled in responds.

"You are from a small town, aren't ya'?"

"Is it that obvious?" Amane asked as she looked over to the smiling boy who could make her heart go bump-bump with such ease.

"Just a little," he replied as his auburn with a hint of amber eyes moved back to the fuming San and cowering Minoru, "you wanna head out before these two?"

"Sure," she gleamed as they slowly and silently made their way out of the room without anyone the wiser so they could go on their first of many dates to come.

_-Fin-_

_

* * *

_**A/N: **Well, I hope few if anyone saw this ending coming (the last two chapters, I mean). I just got the idea after reading the manga **Gekka no Kimi**, it's a good read and you can find it on onemanga[.]com but it does sort of just fall apart at the end... Still, I thought it was the most romantic concept, two star cross lovers making a promise to meet in another life so they could be together. Isn't that sweet? I know it's not the traditional happy ending but I think it's bittersweet, I prefer endings like that anyway :)

I've been doing far too many straight up happy endings lately that I had to break away from that...

Anyway, thank you so much for reading and reviewing throughout this story. It was really great, I hope you enjoyed DT and continue to review.

Thanks,  
Desenchatner.


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